The Expendables
by Caladhiel999
Summary: Karina is the Ukrainian member of the Expendables and the only woman. She has feelings for her tall blond team mate, but wonders if he will ever notice it. Rated M for language, violence, drinking, possible drug reference, and sexual scenes.
1. Chapter 1

The Expendables 2

Elena Herrera

Chapter 1

Karina's POV

I'd always wanted to go to Nepal, just not in this way. We were called on a job to rescue some billionaire. I rode in with Gunner and Yang. Gunner always had a good time when we were smashing things, sometimes a little too much fun. Lee and Barney cleared the road ahead and Gunner pushed down the 'Knock Knock Bar' as I liked to call it.

"Watch your head insect!"

"Shut-up Gunner!"

I smirked and fired out the side at the soldiers. We broke through three stone walls before jumping out.

"Gunner!"

He threw me my AK47 and I smiled.

"Time to go to work."

Toll and Ceaser joined us and we moved further into the building. Yang looked around the corner and fired.

"Clear!"

We moved forward to the next corner. We separated and I went with Yang. I tossed Gunner my gun and took my knives. A group of soldiers surprised Yang and I.

"Down!"

He ducked as I threw a knife. I kicked another soldier that came up behind me.

Gunner's POV

I always got a little worried when she went off away from me. Even though I knew she could handle herself and I had the scar to prove it. Barney threw a grenade at the wall and he walked through shooting with Christmas. I walked in last and Toll pulled up a chair with a man tied to it. He pulled the bag off his head.

"Trench?"

"Oh this is embarrassing."

I smirked, I found it hysterical.

"What's he doing here?" Christmas asked.

Trench looked over.

"Saving this Chinese billionaire!" he said bitterly.

"That's funny, so are we."

"Well then we have a problem." He looked at me. "Cut me loose, Frankenstein."

I hated this guy.

"Don't get nuts Gunner. Do it."

I took my knife and cut him loose.

"Where's your team?"

"Waiting. I need a weapon, something big…" he looked at Ceaser. "Yours!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. MY big weapon's hanging right where it is."

"Come on Ceaser, you got a back up."

He didn't look happy about it.

"If I don't get this back, your ass is terminated."

He handed him the gun.

"In your dreams."

I helped Toll get the cuffs off the Chinese man.

"Come on pal, lets get ya outta here." Toll said.

We walked out with Trench.

"I hate owing you."

"Well, you do big boy."

I smirked.

Karina's POV

Yang and I met up with the others on the way out.

"Did you win?" Gunner asked.

"Of course we win." Yang said.

I winked and we went out through the roof. I saw a crashed helicopter.

"Did you do that?" I asked.

Lee looked at Barney. A group of soldiers started shooting at us again. Yang climbed up a tower and gave us cover fire so we could climb. Gunner had the Chinese man on his back. I saw Barney put on his lucky ring out of the corner of my eye. I shook my head with a smirk as I climbed.

"One wet and wild coming up!"

Ceaser shit at a water tower, causing to fall and literally wash the soldiers away.

"Damn I love this job." I said.

We hooked onto the zip line and got out. Soldiers fired at us from the ground and we fired back.

"I got you gang bang right here! What!?"

I heard a shout and saw Barney get hit.

"Keep going!"

We kept going the let go above the lake. We swam to the boat and got on. Gunner pretty much threw the man onto the boat. I looked at him but he only smiled.

"Go, go, go!"

We headed up river to the plane. Unfortunately for us, they had boats too.

"Damn!"

I turned and started to fire with Yang and Gunner. Billy gave us cover fire from a sniping position but it wasn't too much help. When I heard the plane I was relieved.

"_Hold on ladies. The cavalry's here._"

"It's about time you showed up!" Ceaser shouted.

They started firing from the plane while Billy continued to shoot from above.

"Everyone on the skis!" I said.

We had three on each jet-ski.

"_Alright guys put your toys away._" Barney said.

We turned and headed back. The opened the planes cargo door and we rode right in. Gunner strapped the Chinese man in.

"Wake up Santa." Barney said.

Lee went down and loaded the missile.

"Soup's hot!"

"Fire!"

They fired and it shook the plane. I slipped and hit one of the skis.

"Karina!"

Gunner held out his hand and pulled me back up.

"You good?"

"Yeah."

They destroyed the bridge but the plane was going up and the boats were still chasing us.

"Dump the skis!" Barney shouted.

Gunner and Toll pushed the skis out. I looked up front to see another bridge. The boats fired a few more missiles and the plane shook.

"Climb baby! CLIMB!"

The plane pulled up at the last second. I let out the breath I'd been holding. Another job well done.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Gunner's POV

Everyone too off the their vests and gear. I saw Karina pull off one of her shirts. She always wore two for some reason. I always thought she had a great body. Years of training in martial arts probably helped. She sat back down and looked over at me.

"Thanks for catching me back there."

I smiled.

"Anytime."

She chuckled. It was about thirty minutes before Barney told us to get ready.

"Get the client ready."

Yang and I stood up and strapped him with a parachute.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"Looks like you're taking a shortcut home, pal." Toll told him.

Karina had an amused smile on her face. I looked at Yang.

"Parachute good?"

He nodded.

"Parachute? Why he got parachute?"

"Fifteen seconds." Barney said.

"Opening the hatch." Ceaser announced.

I looked at Yang again.

"So when ya coming back?"

"Maybe soon, maybe never. Maybe try a new life."

"We'll miss you Yang."

He winked at Karina.

"So who am I supposed to pick on?" I asked Yang.

He smirked.

"You will find another minority."

He looked at Karina and I shook my head.

"I don't wanna die just yet."

"Smart choice, big oaf."

I chuckled.

"Hey Yang, smile."

Barney turned with the camera. Yang held up his thumb as he snapped the picture.

"See you later," he looked at me. "Alligator."

We had one last knuckle bump and then he jumped.

"Now that's real Chinese take-out." Christmas said.

Karina started laughing and I sighed. I was gonna miss Yang. Karina was my partner now. I took a drink from my flask and then sat down next to her. I held out the flask and she took a drink.

"Since when do you drink tequila?"

"Since I met you."

She laughed a little and handed it back. After a while she fell asleep. I envied her because she could fall asleep anywhere. Barney turned the plane and she fell over onto my shoulder. I smiled a bit. I saw a flash and looked up. I scowled at Christmas.

"She's gonna kick the shit outta you for that one."

"Yeah, I don't think so." Barney said.

Barney's POV

She wasn't gonna do a thing. We all knew how she felt about him, well, except Gunner himself. It was actually sad to watch. She was good at hiding things, but the rest of us would drop hints.

"I'm telling ya Christmas, if he doesn't figure it out he's gonna lose her."

He looked back.

"I doubt it."

"Doubt what?"

"He'll figure it out. But she won't leave him. She would've left him back when he was using. Now she's just waiting."

I shook my head.

"Of all the guys, huh?"

"Mhm."

I sighed.

Karina's POV

We got home and as always we went to Old Point Bar. Lace joined us as well.

"Christmas, my friend… please tell me you ain't going through with this."

"Course I'm going through with it. Look at the girl, who wouldn't marry her?"

I smiled a bit and Toll snickered.

"She cheated on you."

"It was a half cheat."

"Which is?"

He looked at me.

"The other side of a half truth."

I shook my head.

"I hate to break this to you pal, but your little girlfriend over there has the world class cheating gene." Barney said.

They smiled and waved at her, she blew Lee a kiss.

"I should stab you in the heart." He told Barney.

This time I laughed. She came over to Lee.

"Hey babe."

"Hey."

She kissed him and then sat down on his lap.

"Hey Barney."

"Hey Lace."

"Promise next time not to keep my baby away so long?"

Ceaser and I looked at each other.

"Cross my heart."

"If he had one."

We all chuckled at that one. I looked over at Gunner who staring off into space.

"Look who's lost in space." Ceaser said.

He looked at Gunner.

"You gotta pen?"

Barney took out a pen and handed it to him.

"Hey, you got anything that doesn't have skulls on it?" Lee asked.

"As a matter of fact, I don't."

Gunner started writing on a napkin. He held up the napkin.

"Einstein's theory of special relativity. Only I made it better."

He blew his nose and I laughed.

"Believe it or not before Gunner became chemically unbalanced, he went to MIT and had a masters in chemical engineering." Barney told Billy.

"This idiot actually had a brain. Can you believe that?"

I kicked Toll under the table.

"What happened?"

"Here we go." I said.

"He quit to be a bouncer."

"I wanted to get close to this girl who danced at this disco." He said.

"Yeah, I till can't believe she dumped you." Barney said.

Gunner looked at him.

"Wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I would."

Even Gunner laughed.

"You walked into that one." I told him.

He lightly punched my arm.

"I usually do."

"And hey, you still have a brain."

"You're the only one who thinks so."

I pat his shoulder and then went up to the bar.

Gunner's POV

I smiled as she left.

"Why can't you guys be more like her?"

Christmas started laughing.

"He doesn't know?" Lace asked.

"Nope. And its fun to watch."

She smacked him and went over to Karina. They all knew something I didn't.

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?"

They all looked down at their drinks.

"If something's going on with K then I want to know. Someone bothering her?"

"Yeah."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Who?" I growled.

They didn't say anything, so I stood up and strode over to the bar.

"Karina."

She looked at me and Lace left.

"Someone been bothering you?"

She looked confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"The guys told me someone's been bothering you."

She growled and looked over at them.

"No one is bothering me, Gunner."

"Then why would they say that?"

She shook her head.

"How should I know? I'm heading home. I'll see you later at Tool's."

"Yeah…"

She smiled at me and gave me a small hug. She always smelled so good.

"Night Gunner."

"Yeah, night K."

She winked and smacked Christmas over the head. She pointed her finger at them all with a dangerous look in her eyes. She said something in Ukrainian and then left. It was always nice to see her mad at someone other than me. She always got mad at me, and I never knew why. She always played with her knife when something was bothering her, I was worried she'd end up stabbing me someday. I finished my beer and then went home.

Karina's POV

I walked towards the guys and smacked Lee over the head.

"Hey!"

I pointed my finger at them all.

"Nikoly shche nikoly ne robitʹ takoho!" (**Don't ever do something like that again!**)

I walked out of the bar and breathed in the fresh air.

"Vin rozberetʹsya." (**He'll figure it out.**) I whispered.

I got on my bike and sighed. I headed to Tool's, he was usually awake. Sure enough, there he was.

"Hey, Danko. Don't you sleep anymore."

I shrugged and he sighed.

"So, he's still oblivious?"

"Pretty much. Am I an idiot for falling for him?"

He chuckled.

"You want me to answer honestly?"

"Yes, of course."

He lit his pipe.

"No, I don't think you are."

It wasn't the answer I was expecting.

"What?"

"No, I don't. In all honesty, you're the only one who's ever really been able to get through to him. He respects you which is always good. He technically owes you his life."

I sighed and pushed my hair back.

"I act like I don't know, but the rest of the team keeps dropping hints as you would say. I've tried to forget, I can't."

"Why don't you just tell him? Don't tell me you're afraid. The woman who walks straight through a room filled with snakes can't be afraid. For christ's sakes Karina, you fought three men with a bullet in your shoulder."

"I am afraid."

He chuckled and I scowled at him.

"You think this is funny?"

"A little bit. I saw him look at you one time. I'd never seen that kind a smile on Gunner Jensen's face. He has feelings for you, even if he doesn't realize it. You'll see."

My phone vibrated. When I looked at it I groaned.

"We just got back, now we have new job."

"Good luck. Just think about what I said."

"I will. Goodbye Tool."

He tipped his hat making me chuckle. I hoped he was right.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I got to the hanger before everyone else. Barney and Lee were next.

"Why are you always early?"

I shrugged. We loaded the plane and when everyone was there we took off. A woman came with us. Maggie Chen. It was nice to no longer be the only woman on the team. She was nice, but I was jealous. I'd been an Expendable for nearly five years and yet he still hadn't looked at me, at least not in the way I wanted him to. But he was looking at her even though she wasn't giving him the time of day. I started playing with my knife like I usually did when I was frustrated. Ceaser looked at me and smirked. He'd already guessed that I was attracted to our tall blond friend. He was sharpening his blade and Toll was reading a book while Gunner continually cleared his throat trying to get Maggie's attention.

"She's into me."

I tightened my hand around my knife.

"She hates you." Ceaser said.

Gunner took a deep breath.

"Watch this."

He cleared his throat again and she finally looked up.

"Um…"

She looked away and Ceaser slid the blunt side of his blade across his throat. Toll started laughing and I smirked. Gunner leaned back and looked at me.

"You saw it, right?"

"Probably not the right person to ask." Billy said.

I looked at Gunner.

"Why don't you try again? Make an even bigger fool of yourself."

Toll coughed to hide his laughter.

Gunner's POV

She always got mad at me so easily. Toll and Ceaser were looking at me weird.

"What?"

"Big and dumb."

"Shut up." I growled.

I went back to playing with my Rubix cube. I looked up every now and then at Karina. She was playing with her knife. She did that a lot when she was frustrated. And she was almost always frustrated with me. The guys never said anything even if I asked them. It was real annoying.

"Hey,"

I looked up thinking she was talking to me.

"You're in the army right? I can tell."

She was talking to Billy.

"Yes ma'am. Three years." He told her. "Last tour was Afghanistan, Kunar province."

"Didn't like it anymore?"

"Uhh, it's a long story."

"I would like to hear it."

I leaned back and looked at Billy.

"Alright. I, uh, I was trained as a sniper. And an instructor too, but uh, I actually wanted to mix it up, get in on the action. Uh, this one time we were stuck out in the hell-hole valley. About thirty Taliban opened up from these houses above us. And they got about eight of us pinned down bad. So, I called in for artillery support but, 'Now way', says the captain. Didn't want to endanger the locals. So we scattered, some crawled into a ditch… some to the dry riverbed… and the rest bailed but… we were still stuck in the kill zone. And we battled for… I don't know, three hours. And finally, an apache gunship chopper showed up to provide air cover. Scattered the Hadji's but… smoke clears and four of my squad are dead in a ditch, two in the riverbed. Yeah, I was… mad and sick, all dead for nothin'. You know the most screwed up thing of all was that when I got back to the base that night, I found out they had shot this stray dog I adopted. Commander's orders to get rid of all animals on the base. I mean, you'd think we had enough damn shooting for one day!"

I looked down.

"And, anyway, I figured it was time to move on. I heard these guys were lookin' for someone and here I am." He said.

Everyone had grave expressions on their faces. Except Karina. I knew this story would affect her. Her father was killed in a similar way. No one else knew that but me, and I wasn't gonna say anything. She looked up at me.

"You okay?" I asked.

She shrugged and I moved closer to her.

"Stories like that… they just bring back memories."

"Yeah, I know."

I put my hand on her shoulder and she covered it with her own.

"He died the way he would've wanted to." She whispered.

There wasn't much I could say, so I just sat with her.

"That's why I took this job you know? To try and make my father proud."

"You think he's not proud?"

"He never said so. Never said 'I love you'. He was soldier, not father."

I didn't like it when she was sad. Karina wasn't am easy person to understand, she almost never showed any sort of painful emotions. Sadness, fright or pain. Nothing. She really only ever showed emotion around me. Don't know why, but I was happy she trusted me.

"Well, if he isn't proud from wherever he is, there's something wrong with his eyesight."

She smiled and laughed a bit. I smiled and shook her shoulder a bit.

Karina's POV

The plane landed about an hour later.

"You want the AK47?"

I looked at Gunner.

"Not this time. This is just a quick recovery, yes?"

He nodded and put it back. It was foggy but it got a little better when we started going uphill. Lee's phone rang after we got to the forest.

"Hello darling." Barney mocked.

I smirked.

"Hell darling. I'm a little busy now."

"Alright lets make this quick, we're in and outta here." Barney said.

"Sooner the better." Ceaser said.

I nodded in agreement.

"Billy the kid! Today's your lucky day. You get to take point."

"MY pleasure, sir."

He took off running straight uphill as though it were nothing. Everyone stopped and watched him.

"Impressive." Gunner said.

I smiled a bit. Billy was well trained, a good soldier and a good man.

"Remember when you could do that?"

I looked at Lee and Barney.

"No. Do you?"

"I could blow him away if I needed to."

I snorted and he looked at me.

"What?"

"Be realistic." I said.

"Look down." Barney said.

Lee looked at him.

"Look down, you see what I see? Short legs. Thousand bucks you can't catch up. Go on, Flash."

He held up the phone.

"I'm a little busy."

I managed to keep myself from laughing. We kept going and started to see plane parts as we did.

"_Found the wreckage at the bottom of the hill, sir._"

"Slow down Billy, you're making us look bad." Barney said.

"_Say that again, over."_

"You heard."

"_Roger that, slowing it down._"

It didn't take us long to reach him. I could only just see the outline of the plane through the fog.

"Rest of the plane's over the hill sir."

"Good work Billy."

"Thank you, sir."

We walked down to the plane.

"Looks like somebody had a bad day." Ceaser said.

"Understatement." I said.

As we got closer, Barney had Ceaser, Gunner, Toll and myself got right. I turned back when he fired his gun.

"Take off Rover."

I saw a few wolves run off. I heard wolves howling, but I wasn't scared of animals.

"Ceaser! I need ya in here!" Barney called.

He went inside and I looked around.

"What's wrong?" Toll asked.

"I have a bad feeling. Like… like we're being watched." I said.

I heard a shout and turned.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"She tripped the detonator stay back!" Barney said.

My eyes widened a bit.

"Maggie let it go!"

"No I can do it!"

I heard them struggling and bit my lip.

"Got it!"

I heard a slam and looked inside. The doors had slammed shut. I was now wanted to know what was in that case. For it to have a detonator protecting it… something wasn't right. They came out and Gunner looked at Ceaser.

"What happened?"

"The woman is crazy, but I got a good pump."

I smiled a little in amusement. We went back the way we came and but Billy still hadn't showed.

"Billy the kid!? Where the hell is he?"

I stopped and raised my gun when I saw several outlines of men.

"Drop your weapons." A man's voice said.

"Now way."

"Ain't happenin'." Gunner said.

The fog started to clear and I saw more men.

"No?"

The man in front moved and my eyes widened.

"I'm sorry, sir. They were waiting." Billy said.

I took a step forward but Gunner held out his arm.

"Don't."

"Drop the weapons now."

"Don't do it!" Billy said.

The man aimed a gun at us.

"He's a strong soldier. Let's see how strong he is."

I narrowed my eyes. Another man took out a knife and cut Billy's chest.

"Don't do nothin' he says!"

The man kicked Billy and he fell to his knees.

"Yakshcho ya otrymayu ruky na tebe, ya znyatymu shyyu!" (**If I get my hands on you, I'll snap your neck!**)

He looked at me, an amused smile on his face.

"K, shut-up." Gunner hissed.

The head man walked up next to Billy.

"When I fire, his head, will be gone. Three seconds."

"Don't give your weapons, you don't owe me anything!" Billy said.

The man put the gun to his head.

"One…"

"Don't do this! They'll kill everyone!"

"Two…"

"He's gonna kill him." Lee said.

The man shrugged.

"Et numero trois…"

He started to squeezed the trigger.

"Drop 'em!" Barney said.

I put my weapons down.

"I'm impressed. Very good use of intelligence."

He had his men come forward and take out weapons. One grabbed me and frisked me.

"Take your hands off her!"

"It's alright, Gunner! Don't do anything stupid." I said.

He was glaring at the man. He took my knives, but not my lucky knife.

"Everyone stay calm we'll be done soon. And then we'll be on our way."

Gunner moved a little closer to me. I glared at the man in charge.

"Bring me that knife."

He took Barney's knife and examined it.

"What's this symbol? I like symbol."

He turned his neck so we could see his tattoo.

"This is the symbol of the goat. The pet of Satan, they say."

"How lovely." I hissed.

He didn't hear me.

"You have a case that belongs to me."

"Does it?" Barney asked.

"Yes, like your lives."

"It's lost, he doesn't have it." Billy said.

He sighed.

"Last time, the case." He walked back to Billy. "Or you will force me to cut his heart out."

My heart was pounding in my chest.

"Do it you piece of shit!" Billy snapped.

I closed my eyes and looked away.

"Wait!" Maggie said.

She walked forward but Lee stopped her.

"Give it to me."

He took the case and walked forward, throwing to at the man's feet. He turned back but then,

"Hey!"

Lee turned.

"You talking to me?"

"Pick it up. Hand it to me." He growled.

I scoffed.

"Get it yourself."

"What was that?!"

"You heard!"

He kicked the case over to Lee and walked over with a drawn knife.

"Pick it up, hand it to me nicely. Or you'll get what he got." He snarled.

I clenched my fists.

"Do it Lee." Barney said.

He picked it up and handed it to him.

"You're gonna be alright, Billy." Lee said.

Billy nodded as he walked back.

"Respect is everything. Without respect we're just people. Common shitty people."

I opened my mouth but Gunner grabbed me.

"Say one more thing and I'll tape your mouth shut." He said.

I scowled but otherwise said nothing.

"I'm sorry, sir."

Barney looked at Billy.

"It's not your fault, Billy." He looked at the man. "Now what?"

"We're both fighting men, and I respect that. And fighting men, they don't deserve to be killed like sheep. Not even your woman there." He waved the knife." But respect must be taught. Lie down with your face on the ground until we leave."

Barney glared at him.

"Don't challenge me."

"Get down."

We got down and someone started a helicopter. I looked up slightly, only to see one man hold the knife, while the leader kicked it straight into his heart.

"NO!"

We got up and ran to Billy.

"I'm dying." He said.

"Don't talk Billy. Cut his hands loose!"

I cut the ties and Barney held him up.

"The letter… in my pocket." He said.

Barney took it out.

"Alright kid, I got it. I got it!"

He didn't answer, he couldn't. Billy was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I closed his eyes and touched his forehead.

"Be at peace." I whispered.

I stood up with Barney. He walked over to Maggie.

"I'm so sorry." She said.

"I believe you. What was in the case?"

She looked at him.

"A computer. Blueprint of a mine."

"A mine. What mine!?"

"The Russians stored nearly five tons of weapons grade plutonium. The mine was abandoned after the Cold War. It's still there. The blueprint shows where the plutonium is stored. We want to stop it before it gets in the wrong hands." She said.

"And look what happened." I said.

"This guy died so some dirtbag could make bombs."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am." He turned to the rest of us. "Let's take care of him."

We carried Billy back to the plane where we buried him, using rocks as a grave marker. We gathered around and Toll put his hand on my shoulder.

"We tried."

I nodded and Barney opened the letter.

"Dear Sophia, I wish I could find something besides just missing you, but I can't. The team's treating me good. We've got each other's backs. I want you to know that wherever I end up, I'll be wanting the very best for you. And if some miracle happens and I come back again I hope I'm still your man. Much love, Billy."

He was young, in love, and had so much to live for. It was all taken away from him.

Gunner's POV

It wasn't fair. He was a good kid, a good soldier.

"Why is it the one of us who wants to live the most, who deserves to live the most dies? And the ones that deserve to die keep on living. What's the message in that?"

"That life isn't fair. The death takes whoever he wants no matter who it is." Karina whispered.

"So what's the plan?"

"Track 'em, fine 'em, kill 'em!" Barney said.

"With pleasure."

Karina walked back to the plane and we followed. Her hands were curled into fists the entire time.

"Don't have it…"

I looked up towards the cockpit.

"A good man died trying to get that case… are you?... So does payback. You know Church you're the kind a guy that pulls the strings while everyone else does your dirty work 'cause you never had the guts to do it yourself! We're done!"

_Thank Christ! I hated that guy._

"You okay, Danko?"

I looked at Karina. She was sitting very still with her eyes closed. I slowly touched her hand and her eyes flew open.

"It's just me." I said.

She took a deep breath. I put my hand on her shoulder and stroked with my thumb.

"Tell me something good, Gunner." She whispered.

"He went out as a brave man."

She nodded once.

"When I get hold of one of them…"

I nodded.

"You'll tear him apart, I know."

She looked at me with those piercing green eyes. She took my hand and squeezed.

"Thank you."

I smiled at her. I hugged her and then Maggie jumped up.

"They've gone underground."

"We're putting it down here." Barney said.

He landed the plane and we got ready to go. I took Karina by the arm.

"Just promise me one thing."

She nodded.

"Don't do anything stupid. Don't do anything I would do."

She smiled gently. She looked around and then hugged me. She'd never hugged me like this, but I liked it. I smiled to myself and put my arms around you.

"You're too important to me for me to lose you." I told her.

"Dido."

We got off the plane and Christmas started fixing up a truck.

"Christmas! Come on Lee, do you even know what you're doing?" Barney asked.

"Five minutes!"

We hid the plane as best we could. I stated throwing chickens out of the back of the truck. I pulled Karina up and into the back. Ceaser and Toll rode with us while Barney, Maggie and Christmas were up front. I had nothing to do, so I sharpened my knife. We stayed silent, that was how we mourned. We kept it inside. We drove into town and Barney stopped outside what looked like a bar. He and Christmas got out and went in. After a while I heard noises and smirked.

"Classics." Karina said.

She got up and jumped out.

"Where you going?"

"Stretching my legs. We've been sitting in there for hours."

"Girl's got a point."

Ceaser and Toll got and I followed. She leaned against the truck and I took out my flask.

Karina's POV

Maggie went into the bar and I heard a scream.

"What the hells going on in there?"

"Torture. I'd know those screams anywhere."

Ceaser made a face and I chuckled. I looked over at Gunner, but he was watching the door.

"I don't get it."

I looked at Ceaser.

"I don't expect you to." I said softly.

"Just tell us what it is." Toll said.

I took a deep breath.

"I've seen inside. He's strong and I trust him. He's there for me when I need him just like you two, but it's different with him. I feel something. I can't explain it, it's a warm feeling that I'll never get tired of. I've never felt that way about anyone. I grew up without a loving family and without good friends. This team is my family and I would gladly die for any of you… but Gunner… he's different. To me he's special." I said.

They looked at Gunner.

"Girl, you're something else. If he doesn't realize what he's got soon I'm gonna smack some sense into him." Ceaser said.

I laughed and punched his arm. Barney and Lee came out with Maggie.

"Get back to the plane and load up on the weapons."

"Why don't you get one of these other cheeseheads to do it?"

He motioned to us.

"Excuse me?"

"Quite complaining."

"Cheesehead." Toll scoffed.

I smiled a bit and suddenly I was lifted off the ground.

"Gunner!?"

"Relax."

He put me in the truck and then climbed in.

"What was that for?"

"You're welcome."

I couldn't help but laugh. He winked and Ceaser looked at me. He wiggled his brows and I kicked him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Barney's POV

"They call themselves Sangs. They control everything east of the mountains. Kidnapping, assassinations, basically a cartel for hire." Maggie said.

"How'd you know the language?"

"Easy, put it together. It's a cross between Ukraine and Bulgarian dialect. Impressed?"

"A little. That explains why they knew what Danko was saying."

"Does Gunner really not know how she feels about him?"

I smirked.

"No, he really doesn't. He's gonna lose what could be the best thing that ever happened to him of he doesn't figure it out soon. How'd you figure it out? She's real discreet."

"Again, easy. The look in her eyes when she looks at him."

Now that she mentioned it…

"You're right. He's an idiot though."

She smiled a little. I picked up the walkie.

"Christmas."

"_What!?_"

"Why're ya yelling?"

"_Because you gave me the shit job, that's why! I'm gonna hit you in the face when I see ya."_

I shook my head.

"Where are ya?"

"_The sixty-year-old deathtrap you call a plane._"

"Well what's taking so long?"

"_The bridge is out and the sign's missing. I've been driving these dirt roads for the last seven hours!_"

"Are you done complaining?" I asked.

"_Thanks for the sympathy._" He growled.

I laughed at my friend's expense.

Karina's POV

Barney drove us into and abandoned town. It looked like an American town.

"Probably abandoned after the Cold War."

"What?"

I looked at Toll.

"This was most likely used to practice attacks on the U.S." I said.

"Smart girl."

I winked.

"It's still weird." Cesar said.

Gunner looked around.

"It's like home."

We all slowly looked at him.

"What?"

I just smiled at him.

"That figures." Toll said.

I chuckled. Barney stopped the truck and we got out.

"Great, just what I need. Fifty-year-old pizza." Said Ceaser.

"We'll bed down here for the night." Barney said.

We went inside and set up for the night. I looked at my food, but I wasn't hungry. I was playing with my knife, but it wasn't because of Gunner. It was because of the bastard who killed Billy.

"Boy this taste like shit. How's yours?"

"Can't complain about rigatoni. Plan ahead fellas, that's all I gotta say." Ceaser said.

I smirked and leaned back.

"Tell me something, if you knew you were gonna die tomorrow, what would your last meal be? One choice."

"Once choice?"

"It'd probably be cereal for you." Ceaser said.

"And what's wrong with cereal?" Toll asked

"It's cliché." Gunner said.

I smiled and chuckled. He winked at me and I shook my head.

"If you were an original, broad thinking man, you'd make your own special cereal. Like Eari'os. Just pour milk on them suckers and they just lay there and don't hear shit."

"For the record, my hearing is 20/20!" Toll growled.

"Karina?"

"Easy, salmon sushi and a bottle of Heineken."

"Barney?"

"Probably doughnuts and other stuff that kills you."

I smiled a bit.

"That's deep man." Ceaser said.

We all laughed and he looked at Maggie.

"Maggie?"

"Crispy aromatic duck with plum sauce. Very sexy."

The look on Ceaser's face made me laugh.

"But I like Italian too."

She looked at Barney.

"I'm starting to think Italian's overrated."

More laughing.

"Hey! What about me?" Gunner asked.

We all looked over.

"My favorite Swedish dinner is baby seal and whale ass, in the summer."

Ceaser's face once more made me laugh.

"But I'd really die, for some Chinese."

My chest hurt and I stopped laughing.

"Then you're gonna starve to death."

They started to laugh again but I went outside. It was a little cold, but I was too heated to care. I sat down on the railing.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Gunner's POV

Everyone went silent when she left, then they all looked at me.

"What?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Maggie asked.

"No?"

They all groaned and Barney looked at me.

"Think Gunner. Think real hard." Toll said.

I held up my hands.

"I got nothing."

"Let me tell you something, if you don't figure it out soon, you're gonna lose the best thing that's ever gonna happen to ya. I've seen you look at her. Dig deep, Gunner." Barney told me.

I looked around. I saw Karina out the window just sitting there. I remembered when I woke up in the hospital, after Barney shot me.

_"Do you have any idea how scared I was? You're done with those drugs." _

I'd never seen Karina get scared. I didn't even know she could get scared.

_I touched her hand and she held onto mine. _

_ "I promise, I won't do it again." _

_ "You say this every time." _

_ "I swear I won't. I almost killed you, I won't let that happen again. Please believe me K." _

She'd looked into my eyes for what seemed like hours.

"I think he's got it." Cesar said.

_"If you break your promise this time…" _

_ I squeezed her hand. _

_ "I won't."_

_ She smiled a bit. _

_ "You better not." _

"Christ…"

I got up and walked out the door.

"Finally!"

I closed the door and Karina turned.

"K, I'm sorry."

She arched her brow.

"Sorry for what?"

I looked through the window, everyone was looking. I growled.

"Can we take a walk?"

She looked over her shoulder and then nodded. We walked down the street and around the corner.

"Listen, I'm no good at this. Karina you… you deserve someone better. Someone much better than me."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"What if I never wanted 'better'? That I've been waiting for you to say something like this for three years?"

My heart was beating a million miles a second. At least that's what it felt like.

"Karina you… I…"

She looked down.

"I'm only going to ask this once." She looked back into my eyes. "If you tell me that you don't feel the same way I do, I will walk away from this. We'll always be teammates, but that will be the end of this. I'll never bring my feelings up ever again. So, tell me. And don't you dare lie to me." She said.

Barney told me that I could lose the best thing that ever happened to me. He was talking about K. It was time for me to man-up, I just didn't know the right words. I put my hands on her shoulders and slid them down to her arms.

Karina's POV

The way he touched me, the look in his eyes, it made me smile. He slowly smiled and pulled me to his chest. This was his way of telling me he felt the same. I closed my eyes and a few tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Hey."

I looked up at him. He bent down and captured my lips with his. I raised my hand to his scarred cheek as he wrapped one arm around my waist. His tongue licked over my bottom lip and I gladly opened my mouth to him. I wanted to be closer to him, I wanted him to hold me tighter. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he kissed me harder. When I leaned back he smiled at me.

"I never wanted 'better'. I always wanted you." I told him.

He kissed me again and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he held me against a wall. Gunner carried me into a different building and set me down. I pulled him back to me and he kissed my neck. He had to bend down to kiss me properly. He bit me gently and I could feel his cock straining against his jeans against my stomach. I unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off him. He stepped back and practically tore my shirt off. I smiled at him and he smiled back. I turned him and pushed him against the wall. He chuckled as I fumbled with his belt. We slid to the ground and he pulled me onto his lap. I could feel his enormous erection beneath me, making me literally drip with desire.

"Gunner…"

He kissed my lips after pulling my shirt up over my head. His normally light blue eyes were dark with desire. He put one of his large hands on my back and pushed me against his now bare chest. I moved my hands down his chest and cupped his engorged cock. He groaned and I kissed his neck.

"Ahh…"

I sucked hard and he laid me on my back. Gunner was a big man, so the size of his cock didn't surprise me when I saw it. I pushed his jeans down and then rolled out from under him. He arched his brow.

"Don't make me pin you down, because I will."

I smirked and walked back to him. He got up on his knees and kissed my stomach and then down to my hips. He pulled my pants down and laid back as he pulled me on top of him. I leaned down and kissed over his chest, every scar, every inch. He groaned and I took his hands in mine, bringing them to my breasts.

Gunner's POV

I'd never been so hard in my life! Like a rock! She was so wet and hot. I was having trouble controlling myself. I gripped her hips as she grinded against me.

"Oh shit! Karina!" I growled.

She put her hands on my shoulders and pulled me up. I kissed her hard and lifted her hips. I looked into her pale blue eyes as she sank down onto my cock. She tensed up a bit.

"Am I hurting you?" I asked.

"I'm not used to someone as big as you."

I smirked and laid her back.

"Relax." I told her.

I kissed her softly as I pushed further.

Karina's POV

I stretched to accommodate his size. I wrapped my arms around him as he buried himself inside me. I'd wanted to feel this for so long. Now that I had him, I wouldn't let go. Not for anything.

"Feel good?" he asked.

"You have no idea."

"I think I do."

He moved slightly and I moaned his name. He dropped his mouth to mine and I stroked the scar on his cheek. He pulled himself out almost completely before slowly sliding back in. I dug my nails into his back and he groaned, thrusting harder and faster. His hips smacked against mine.

"Gunner! Gunner!"

He kissed my lips and then moved down to my breast. I cried in pleasure as he sucked my nipple. I was pretty sure that someone heard us, but I didn't care at the moment. All I cared about was him and my desperate need to get closer. As he came back up towards my neck, he whispered in my ear.

"Mine."

He slammed into me hard and I arched my back. He wrapped one of his powerful arms around me, holding my body tightly against his. He was pulsing inside me and I was aching for release. His next thrust hit a sweet spot inside me and that was it. I cried his name as I came around his throbbing cock.

"Karina!"

He held my hips to his as he filled me with his seed. He kissed my neck again and I moved my fingers through his damp hair. He looked into my eyes and kissed me again. Then he rested his forehead against mine.

"You meant what you said?"

"Yeah. Mine." He said breathlessly.

I smiled and held him tightly to me. He moved onto his side and kissed my forehead.

"I always wanted you. You need to know that, K." he whispered.

I smiled and looked into those blue eyes I loved so much.

"You have me. So, please don't ever let me go."

"I told you, you're mine."

I laid my head against his bare chest and sighed in content.

"Barney was right." He said.

"About what?"

"You really are the best thing that ever happened to me."

I smiled and kissed his shoulder. We got dressed and went back to the others. Barney turned up a lantern when we walked in.

"I'm glad you didn't lose her. Do yourself a favor and don't screw up, Gunner."

I laughed quietly and Gunner smirked.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I woke up early and stretched out. Gunner was snoring up against a beam and I shook my head. Barney and Maggie were looking over a map while Cesar drank coffee. Toll was messing with the jukebox. Gunner continued to snore and I smiled a bit.

"I swear to god if he doesn't stop snoring I'm gonna shoot him."

The snoring continued.

"GUNNER!"

He woke up.

"You rang?"

He sounded grumpy and I laughed.

"Something wear you out last night, big guy?" Cesar asked.

I coughed to hide my laughter and Gunner winked at me. I chuckled and he took out a cookie.

"Yeah, we all heard you." Cesar said.

"Heard what?"

"Nothing!" Gunner and I said.

He started laughing and I rolled my eyes.

"We're outta here in five minutes, do what you gotta do." Barney said.

I walked over and sat down next to Gunner. I took part of his cookie and he just stared at me.

"What? I missed dinner last night."

I bit into the cookie and frowned.

"Gunner…"

"Yeah I know, they're stale."

I chuckled and he winked.

"Houston, we got a problem."

I looked at Cesar.

"DOWN!"

Guns started going off and we all scrambled for our weapons.

"Go! Go!"

We ran outside and took cover behind cars. We shot at them but I was running out of bullets… then they brought the tank.

"OH!"

Cesar dove over the rail and the tank turned towards me.

"Shit!"

"K!"

I got down but then I heard the explosion. Nothing hit me, and when I looked up the tank was out of commission. I was very confused at this point. I slowly stood up.

"Hey who did that!?" Cesar asked.

"Not me, I'm out!" Gunner said.

He jumped out of the car and ran to me.

"I'm good."

He put his arm around me and pulled me to his chest, kissing the top of my head.

"I can't wait for Christmas to see that."

I growled but said nothing. We gathered in front of the truck and looked around.

"What just happened?" Cesar asked.

"Somebody got a little carried away."

"A little?" I asked.

"Where are the shooters?" Gunner asked.

"I don't know. But if they wanted us dead, we would be." Barney told us.

"Barney."

Maggie nodded behind him. A single man came walking out towards us.

"Don't freak out."

He took off his sunglasses with a little smile.

"Small world, huh Barney?"

"Booker? Rumor has it you were dead." Barney said.

I looked around but everyone else seemed as surprised as I was.

"Yeah I heard that too. So, how's life treating ya?"

"Not bad. You did all this?"

"I fight solo, I thought you knew that." He said.

"I heard it, but I didn't buy it." Barney told him.

"Well now you do." He looked at us. "This your team?"

Barney turned.

"Gunner, Karina Danko, Hale Cesar, Toll Road and Maggie."

I nodded.

"Booker? You're the one people call the Lone Wolf?" Gunner asked.

"I've been called that, but I have mellowed."

My eyes widened as I looked around.

"Yeah, not that much. I heard another rumor, that you were bitten by a king cobra."

"Yeah I was. And after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died."

I had to laugh. Everyone else started to chuckle and Barney embraced his friend. They walked off to talk and I took a deep breath.

"I thought I was dead for a minute."

"Yeah."

I looked at Gunner.

"I'm still here."

He gave me a half smile. I turned away, then another shot went off.

"AH!"

I looked over and saw a half dead Sang. He shot at Gunner. I threw a knife into his forehead and turned to Gunner.

"Is he hit!?"

"How bad is it?"

"Honestly, not that bad. But don't be too happy about that." I said.

"Danko, patch him up."

I brought him back inside and found my bag.

Gunner's POV

"Tell me the bullet's not still there?"

"No, it really only skimmed you."

"That's a relief."

She smiled a bit and took care of me. As she moved her hand from my side, I stopped her. She looked at me. IT was like I was being pulled towards her. She kissed my lips and I closed my eyes. I touched her cheek lightly before leaning back.

"I never thought I was good enough for you. I think that's why I tried to ignore what I felt. I'm sorry."

She smiled, there was so much compassion in her eyes.

"How do you say it? Better late than never?"

I laughed a bit and nodded.

"Yeah."

"Just promise, next time you want to tell me something, just tell me."

"It's a promise."

She nodded and kissed her again. We went back outside.

"What's the verdict?"

"He'll live."

I gave them a thumbs up. Christmas rolled up in the truck about two minutes later.

"What happened?"

"I'm still alive." Barney said.

"That's debatable. What I miss?"

"I'll tell ya about it on the way. Come on guys, let's unload these weapons."

"Looks like Christmas came way late this year." Cesar said.

"Yeah, love you too."

"Well, I'm happy to see you." Maggie told him.

"Finally, someone with class."

Karina jumped up into the truck and started passing down the weapons. I took her by the waist and she put her hands on my shoulders so I could bring her back down.

"Did he finally figure it out!?" Christmas shouted.

I rolled my eyes.

"I told you she wouldn't leave him. You owe me a hundred bucks."

"Excuse me?"

Karina ran over to them and I smiled.

"Good thing too. I told her I was gonna smack some sense into ya." Cesar told me.

"Well, you should've. Maybe I would've admitted it to myself sooner."

"Yeah, probably not."

"Let's go! In the truck!" Barney said.

We climbed in and I sat down next to Karina. She looked at me and smiled before leaning into me.

Karina's POV

Gunner put his arm around me, resting his hand on my hip.

"You guys aren't gonna start kissing in front of us, are ya?"

I looked at Toll.

"No. We're working here."

"Thank god." He said.

I rolled my eyes and looked outside. We drove into a town, but I noticed people running away as we passed. I frowned and leaned forward.

"What's up?"

I didn't have a chance to answer Cesar. Barney slammed on the breaks and I nearly flew forward. Someone was firing at us again.

"Again!?"

"Everybody out!"

We got out and took cover behind the truck. The bullets were going everywhere except near us. I smiled a bit and the guys chuckled.

"They're missing us by a mile." Barney said.

He and Lee walked out a bit.

"Put down guns!" A woman said.

"That's not gonna happen." Lee said.

Another shot and I almost laughed.

"Safest place is in front of their guns." Barney said.

"We will shoot you!"

"NO!"

Maggie walked out with her hands up and we slowly followed.

"Wait. These guys are here to help."

We came out and I didn't fail to notice the lack of men.

"They want to help."

They came out, all of them women.

"Even you two… not sorry, even a reject like you can get lucky around here Toll."

"I doubt it."

"Do you mind?" Barney scolded.

"Who you are?" A woman asked.

"We're Americans."

"Since when?"

"Swedish."

"Ukrainian."

"Blackfoot."

"Chinese."

"Retards."

"Are you done!?"

"What do you want?" she asked.

"We're here to take care of the Sangs." Barney told her.

I saw the relief in their faces.

"Okay. Come inside." She said.

We followed her and she showed us something that broke my heart. They were hiding their children away. I covered my mouth with my hand.

"This is who we think you come for. This is who we will die for." She said.

They looked scared. My blood boiled with rage for the Sangs. We followed the woman back into the church.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"First, they told us there'd be good jobs. Good money. Some went, but nobody come back. They come for more. They say as soon as our men go to job, the others come back… my husband goes. For a long time we hear nothing. Then, the Sangs come and they take all of the rest of the men. Force them to work in the mines. They take my sons! Same in the next village, and the next! Now all that is left are the very young. And the Sangs will come for them, I know this!"

"We all know this." Said another woman.

"So we hide them, and we wait." Said the first.

"Why don't you just move on? Leave?" Lee asked.

"This is our home. Our lives will be the last thing they take." She said firmly.

I admired their bravery, but I knew it wouldn't be enough.

"So, tell us why you here now."

"We're tracking 'em." Barney said.

A desperate look came to her face.

"Can't you stay? And help? You saw the children! Soon they be done and they kill them all." She said.

I looked at Barney.

"We have our own business with them. I'm sorry."

I cast my eyes down sadly.

"Let's go." Barney said.

We had no choice but to follow him out. Gunner put his hand on my shoulder but I didn't look at him. The rest of the women were gathered outside, I knew they'd heard everything.

"I don't think they're gonna last much longer here." Lee said.

"I think they know that."

"Barney, we have to do something." I said.

He sighed and stopped.

"I got an idea, and with your ego, I think you're gonna love it." He told Lee.

"My ego?"

"Yeah you're ego."

"What about my ego?"

"You got a big ego."

"You should check your ego!"

"Oh please, your ego is the size of a dinosaur." Barney said.

I smiled. Watching them was always entertaining.

Gunner's POV

Barney had Christmas put on a priest's robe and stay in the church.

"Danko, I need you up high."

Before she left, she looked at me.

"Make sure you win." I told her.

"I always win."

I smiled at her and she started to turn away again. I grabbed her wrist and spun back around. I kissed her full lips quickly.

"Go." I said.

She smiled and ran off. We went to our positions and waited.

Karina's POV

I hid myself in a tower. I could see everything from where I was, I saw the Sangs coming up the road before the bell even rang. I saw them chase a little boy. I went down to the edge of the roof and pulled him up. They ran past us and into the church.

"Have fun, Lee."

I jumped down and hid the boy before going out to fight. I saw Gunner walk out and kick a man forward. He shot and him and Barney gave him high five. I tripped one running past, causing several of the others to fall over him.

"Syurpryz!" (**Surprise!**)

I kicked one in the neck and then stabbed another. I saw Ceaser pick one up and break his back against a wood beam. I jump kicked one coming at me and shot two more. Eventually we all regrouped.

"One more!"

We open fired on the man. I didn't stop shooting until I was empty.

"Rest in pieces!" Barney snapped.

I reloaded and we spread out to make sure none had survived. I went back to find the boy but he was gone. I was relieved to find him with his mother. I smiled a bit and nodded.

"They're gone."

I looked at Lee.

"Let's go. Time to move on."

I nodded and went back with him. We made our way to a cliff that overlooked the entrance to the mine.

"I see about a dozen guards, light weapons. Couple of badass .50 cals…"

"Worse." Lee said. "Anti-tank devices. There's no way our trucks will get through that mine-field." He said.

I borrowed his binoculars.

"Look, I know this is a stupid question but do you have any ideas that won't get us killed?" Lee asked Barney.

"I got a couple I'm thinking about. Back to the plane and suit up."

Gunner's POV

Maggie and Karina went off to dress separately. I followed Karina.

"K."

She turned to me. I held up my knife.

"Take this."

I put it in her hand with a little smile.

"Do some real damage with it."

She smiled at me and looked at it.

"I'll sharpen it when I'm done."

"You better."

She laughed a bit and held onto my hand.

"Listen K, when we get home I uh…"

"Gunner! Danko! Let's go!"

She smiled.

"Tell me later. Right now, we avenge Billy."

"Yeah, okay."

She winked and kissed my cheek.

"Let's go."

We got in the plane and strapped ourselves in tight.

"Boom time?"

"Boom time!" Barney said.

Lee jumped up and ran back.

"Baby want's to travel!" He said.

"Fire!"

They fired twice while Cesar and me dropped cans strapped with timers.

"Tighten up!" Cesar said.

"What's happening?" Maggie asked.

"Chaos!" Toll told her.

"You're not doing what I think you're doin'!"

"Yeah I am!"

"Let's do it!"

Barney crashed the plane right into the entrance. Maggie's belt came loose and she fell back with a scream.

"Get her!" K told me.

I unstrapped and grabbed her arms before she could fall off. I pulled her back up and put her in a seat. The plane slowly stopped and I looked around.

"You good?"

Karina nodded.

"Thanks, Gunner."

I looked at Maggie.

"No problem."

We all got out and climbed up high. The Sangs were going to kill them all. Barney whistled and when they turned we open fired. When we got down, Maggie ran forward.

"We're too late!"

"What?"

"The plutonium's gone!"

"That's not our biggest problem. Look!"

Karina pointed to walls.

"Everyone get down there! Go, go!" Barney said.

Karina wouldn't go until all the civilians were in.

"K!"

She jumped down and landed on top of me. I picked her up and we ran down deeper into the mine. Sure enough, we got blocked in.

"We're gonna be here a while." Barney said.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Karina's POV

Gunner put me down and I touched my forehead.

"Let me see."

I faced him and he looked at me.

"I'm fine, a scratch." I told him.

"I'm just glad you landed one me."

"Me too."

He looked into my eyes and I smiled a bit. I held up the knife.

"I didn't really have need for it."

He wrapped his fingers around mine.

"Hang onto it. Just for now." He told me

I nodded and he pulled me closer to him.

"Before, what I was trying to say was when we get home, I'd really like to be with you. You know what I mean?"

I chuckled.

"Yes. You want me to be your… what you call girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

I smiled and stood on my toes.

"Mine." I whispered.

He gave me a big smile and he kissed me. When I stepped back I looked around. Maggie and I tried to help some of the people. After a little while, Gunner spoke up.

"Hey, baby toss me the knife."

I tossed him the knife.

"It's not over yet kids. Everybody calm down."

He looked closely at the wall.

"Phosphate rock."

He started scratching at the wall with his knife. I was a confused.

"What's he doin'?" Lee asked.

"Probably making a bomb.' Barney told him.

"Seriously?"

"Ask him." I said.

"What're ya doin' Gunner?"

"I'm making a bomb. DO you mind?"

I smiled a bit and looked over at him.

"Maniac with brains." Barney said.

"Scary." Lee agreed.

"He's not maniac. At least he tries." I said.

"Danko's got a point." Toll said.

I nodded.

"Phosphate rock… got a density of 1,852. Melting point, 44.2 Centigrade. Guys… I want some gunpowder, fast."

I looked up as he walked over.

"Do it. The man's a chemical engineer, right?"

"And a Fulbright scholar. Pour it in the pipe." Gunner said.

He gave the pipe to Cesar and looked at me. He winked and I smirked.

"The big man might be on to somethin'." Barney said.

"Think so?"

"Probably not."

I rolled my eyes.

"Need some help with that? Let's go!"

Ceaser scowled at him.

"Here! Go blow yourself up!"

I chuckled a bit.

"Lighter?"

Barney tossed him one.

"I want that back."

"Everybody get back! This is gonna be loud!"

He laughed happily and I stood up.

"Get back. Better turn around unless you wanna get your heads blown off." He looked at Toll. "Better cover your ears."

I coughed to hide my laughter and we waited. The fire went out and nothing happened. I slowly looked at Gunner.

"Well, the phosphorus must have been damp." He said.

"Yeah, right."

"Or you suck." Toll said.

"There's that." Cesar agreed.

"Don't cry Gunner." Maggie said.

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"At least you tried."

He handed Barney his lighter.

"You almost had an idea."

The ground started to shake and the wall started to crack. Gunner pulled me close to him and a large machine came through the wall. Inside was the one of the few people I ever believed would be there, cigar and all.

"I'm back!"

Gunner's POV

I was surprised.

"How you doin', Trench?" Barney asked.

Thanks to him we all got out. I personally took a good gulp of fresh air. I smirked.

"I would've figured it out."

I looked at Karina.

"I know."

I looked down sadly.

"I really did ruin myself with that shit."

"Hey, look at me."

I looked into her eyes.

"You're still a smart man. You cleaned yourself up."

"True. I got you."

Her smile got a little bigger and she nodded.

"But we still have some work to do here. Vilain's not dead."

"Yeah, he will be soon."

She nodded and we caught up to the others. She smiled when she looked back.

"This… makes everything we fight through worth it."

I put my arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah."

I heard a car pull up behind us and looked over. A bald man stepped out. He walked up to Barney.

"How ya doin' pal?"

"I'm doin' pretty hood Church. What're you doin' here?"

"I heard there was a party in town."

"Yeah but it's my party." Barney said.

"Has he always been this selfish?"

"Always." Trench said.

A chopped came and landed near us.

"I think that's our ride."

Karina looked over.

"Where'd that come from?"

"Probably Church."

"What?"

I pointed over to him.

"That's Church?"

"I guess."

"Let's go guys!" Barney called.

We ran to the chopper and got in. After a while, I saw a line of trucks out the window.

"There!"

Everyone looked out and Trench put the chopper down in an airport.

"Everybody out. Take your positions."

We got out and I handed Karina my knife. She smiled and we stood ready to fire. A bus moved to show the trucks and we fired.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Karina's POV

I saw several of the trucks drive through a window and head to a hanger.

"Christmas, go!"

He ran after the trucks and I ran full speed for the nearest Sang. I jumped onto his back and slid the knife across his chest before killing him. Three more came at me and two were shot down. I nodded to Maggie and threw a knife into the last one. I jumped for cover when a large group of them started shooting. I loaded my gun and looked around the corner. Booker showed up and started firing. I looked up and he nodded to me.

"Goodbye!"

I looked up again to see a man get kicked over. Gunner looked over and I smirked. I took the man's gun and stood up. I shouldered the gun and fired at every Sang I saw. I got hit from behind and fell forward. I recognized one of the men from when Billy was killed. I narrowed my eyes and stood up.

"Davay." (**Come on.**)

"This doesn't seem fair."

I dropped my gun and took out Gunner's knife.

"You're going to get what you gave."

I ran at him and slid down as he threw a punch. I cut his leg but he turned and hit me in the stomach. He seemed proud of himself until I jump kicked him in the face. I grabbed him by the hair and pressed the knife against his chest.

"Podyvitʹsya na mene, vivtsi." (**Look at me, sheep.**)

He looked into my eyes as I dragged the knife across his chest. I shoved the knife threw his heart.

"Maggots!"

I looked up as a Sang went up behind Gunner and Maggie.

"Gunner!"

He turned and I threw the knife into the Sang. He took back the knife and I ran for another gun. I turned and fired at two more Sangs. I saw Trench and Church driving one of the smallest cars I'd ever seen. They drove towards me and I jumped onto the car. I knelt down on the roof and fired as they drove.

Gunner's POV

I saw her jump on the car. All I could think was,

_That's my girl._

Maggie ran off and I met up with Ceaser and Toll.

"You see Barney?"

"He ran after Vilain."

"What about Christmas?"

"The hanger! Go, go, go!"

I heard a tire pop.

"Move!"

We jumped away as the car crashed. Karina flipped off the top of the car and landed on her feet. She looked up and then around. The Sangs were either dead or running away. The army was just starting to arrive.

"I think the party's over." Cesar said.

We stood up. I saw Barney walking outside with Maggie. He had a bloody bag hanging over his shoulder. Trench and Church walked out to meet them. I started walking towards Karina.

"We win." She said.

I started laughing and so did Toll and Cesar. Christmas came out with a bruise on his cheekbone.

"What happened to you?"

"Hit my face on something stupid." He told Karina.

"Well, did you break this something stupid?"

"Oh yeah."

We all laughed and walked out to Barney. Church gave him a plane.

"Headin' home then?"

"We got one stop to make."

Karina smiled sadly.

"France."

Billy.

Karina's POV

We delivered Billy's letter, a picture of him, and the money he'd earned to Sophia. Then, we were finally off home. Cesar passed us all a beer.

"Beware, beware…" Barney started.

"Careful what you do. Or Mumbo-Jumbo's gonna whoo-doo you. Mumbo-Jumbo's gonna whoo-doo you1 Boomalay, boomalay, boomalay, boom!" we all said.

"To Billy! To Billy!" Barney said.

We drank a toast to our fallen friend.

"Man, I need a massage." Cesar said rubbing his neck.

"Don't look at me." Toll said quickly.

Gunner smiled and I sat down. He sat down next and looked at me. I smiled and took his hand. He smiled at me and I leaned into him. I loved him. I knew that now. I closed my eyes and sighed. I could hear Barney and Lee up front.

"From one friend to another,"

"What?"

"You really should learn how to fight."

I chuckled and the rest of them started laughing. I took another drink and looked around.

"Still good." I whispered.

"You say that every time." Toll said.

I looked at him.

"Well, we are. We're still here, we're still good."

"I'll drink to that."

Gunner put his arm around me and I looked into his icy eyes. He kissed me softly with a smile.

Gunner's POV

Like always, we were at Tool's to celebrate. But this time, I had a good woman with me. I pulled Karina down to sit on my lap. She wrapped her arm around my neck as she took a sip of her beer.

"So, you two finally got together." Tool said.

"Yeah. He finally figured it out." She said.

I growled at her but she just laughed. I looked into her eyes and she smiled at me.

"But it was worth the wait." She said.

I kissed her lips and when she leaned back, she smiled.

"You know Tool, I'm feeling lucky."

She took her knife out and he smirked.

"Let's go baby."

He threw first. She got off my lap and turned. I saw her take a deep breath and then she threw.

"No way…"

"I told you it would happen."

She'd beat Tool!

"I'll be damned." Tool said.

She sat back down on my lap with a triumphant smile. I kissed her cheek.

"Good throw, baby."

"I take my hat off to ya. I'm impressed Danko. Now all you gotta do is beat Christmas."

Lee scoffed.

"Yeah, that will most likely never happen."

"She's smart."

She finished her beer and then got up again.

"I need to make a phone call."

She kissed my cheek and then walked out into the back.

"Lucky bastard."

I looked at Barney.

"Remember when I shot you?"

"Unfortunately."

"She cried."

"Wait what?" Ceaser asked.

"Karina doesn't cry."

"I swear on my life. I saw her."

I looked back in the direction she'd gone. I smiled to myself.

"I believe it."

She came back in.

"That was fast."

"Well, my sister isn't known for answering her phone."

We laughed a bit and she came back to me. She sat down and I looked at her beautiful face.

"What?"

I shook my head.

"Nothing. Just… we're home. We can relax a bit."

She ran her thin fingers through my hair. It felt good and I closed my eyes. I gently grabbed her wrist and leaned towards her ear.

"I hate to say it, but you gotta stop that right now."

She let out a dark chuckle and kissed just beneath my ear. She whispered to me and I slowly smiled. She laid her head against my shoulder and Cesar smirked.

"I hope this lovey dovey stuff doesn't last forever." Lee said.

"It will, just not in front of you." She said.

I laughed a bit. The phone rang and Tool picked it up.

"Yes?"

Karina's POV

I groaned and hid my face in Gunner's shoulder.

"Didn't we just get home?" I asked.

Gunner rubbed my back and I heard Tool hang up the phone.

"Got two pieces of work. I think it can wait until tomorrow."

That was a relief. I finished my beer and looked at Gunner.

"You need another beer, love?"

"Yeah."

I got up and got two more. I popped them open with my knife and handed him one.

"Well, I'm off. Gotta get back to Lace."

Barney rolled his eyes.

"Say hello to her for me." I said.

"Will do. Night guys."

Toll and Ceaser left next and Gunner looked at me.

"You wanna get going?"

"Yeah."

I got up and finished my beer.

"Be here day after tomorrow, seven sharp."

I nodded and I left with Gunner.

"You gonna make me go home alone?"

I chuckled and turned to him.

"Did I say I was?"

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in close.

"You're coming home with me, big oaf."

He smiled at me and leaned down. He captured my lips with his and I smiled. I leaned back.

"Let's go."

We rode back to my apartment, parked the bikes and went inside.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The second the elevator doors closed, he grabbed me. He crashed his lips to mine and blocked any means of escape, not that I'd planned to. He pulled away as the door opened and we practically ran to my door. Just like in the elevator, once the door closed, he was on me. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him. I moaned when his tongue parted my lips and slipped into my mouth. I unbuckled his belt and he yanked my shorts down. His jeans were next and then his boxers. His long, thick cock came free and he pulled my panties down. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he picked me up. He looked directly into my eyes as he slid his rigid cock inside me, both of us groaning. I tightened my hold on his shoulders, my nails digging into the fabric of his shirt. He started pumping himself into me at an unbelievably pleasurable pace. I moaned loudly and kissed his lips. He moved his lips down my jaw and to my neck where he sucked lightly.

"Ooh…"

"Karina." He whispered.

His thrusts were getting desperate and I screamed his name. I came hard and soon he followed. Moaning my name into my neck. He set me down slowly, his forehead pressed against mine.

"You know we really should try doing this in a bed sometime."

He laughed and looked at the bedroom door. He had a devilish grin on his face. I slowly smiled and nodded. He picked me up and carried me into my bedroom, gently laying me on the bed. He laid down next to me and once more kissed my lips. I moved my hand to his face and traced the scar on his cheek. He stroked my tongue with his and I pushed him back so I could take off his shirt. I smiled.

"Sore Loser?"

"I like this shirt."

"Me too. But I don't want it on you right now."

He chuckled and I pulled it over his head. He pulled my shirt off and then pulled me up so he could unhook my bra. As I lay back down, he took my breasts in his hands. I moaned and he brushed his thumbs over my nipples.

"Gunner…"

He nipped my collar bone and I pushed him onto his back. His cock was hard again and throbbing. He looked into my eyes and I smiled seductively. I kissed his neck and then down his chest. I kept going and he watched me. I took his cock in my hand and closed my lips around the swollen head. He moaned loudly and let his head fall back onto the pillows. I kept going until he hit the back of my throat. I saw his hands strangling the blanket, his knuckles turning white. I hollowed my cheeks and slowly started bobbing my head up and down.

Gunner's POV

It felt even better than I imagined it would. Her tongue tracing the thick vein and licking away the bit if precum. She gently squeezed my balls and I nearly lost myself right there. I stopped her and pulled her back on top of me. Her green eyes stared into mine. I could feel how ready she was. I turned her onto her back and dropped my mouth to hers as I thrust inside her. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, kissing me with more passion than ever before. I groaned when her nails dug into my back. I wrapped my arm around her waist so I could hold her closer, but it would never be close enough. She started to move her hips in time with my thrusts. I moaned into her mouth and she slowly moved her hand down my back. She grabbed my ass and I growled. I took her hands and pinned them above her. I started thrusting faster, losing control. She had a look of pure ecstasy on her face and in her eyes. I leaned back and held onto her hips as I continued. She ran her hands down my chest and abs, moaning my name. Her nails scraped my skin but it really made it more pleasurable for me. She looked at me from under her long, dark eyelashes, her lips parted slightly. Those full, delicious lips.

"Gunner… Gunner!"

She started to tighten around my cock and I groaned. I needed this to last longer. I stopped and pulled out of her. She looked like she was gonna kill me.

"Trust me." I said.

I turned her onto her side and laid behind her. I thrust back inside her, making her cry my name. I moved my hand up and squeezed her breast. She covered my hand with hers and I moved my free hand down between her legs. She made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a moan when I touched that sensitive bundle of nerves. This time when she tightened around me I couldn't hold myself back. She came around my cock and I shut my eyes as I spilled my seed deep inside her. I gave one last thrust and then pulled myself out of her. She turned over and faced me.

Karina's POV

I reached up and ran my fingers through his damp hair. I loved this man, I really did.

"YA tebe lyublyu." I whispered.

He looked into my eyes.

"What?"

"Figure it out."

He smirked and arched a brow.

"Well I could always make you tell me."

"I said it because I mean it. You'll know."

He just nodded and kissed my forehead. He was only ever this loving with me. Yes he held me and showed his affection for me in the public eye. But when we were alone, I was the only one who saw the soft side of him. I traced the snake tattoo on his arm and smiled softly. I moved my fingers over his muscles and to his hand. He took my hand and kissed my knuckles. I smiled at him and traced his lips. He kissed my finger and then the palm of my hand. He turned onto his back and pulled me to his hard chest.

"Your place is a hell of a lot nicer than mine. Better view too."

I chuckled and lazily stroked his chest.

"You can stay here whenever you want."

He gave me a wicked grin.

"Oh yeah?"

I propped myself up on my elbow. He touched my cheek with the tips of his fingers.

"I love you too, Karina."

My eyes widened at his words.

"You figured it out three years in advance."

He laughed and I kissed him. I laid my head on his chest and sighed.

"You tired?" he asked me.

"A little."

"That tells me I did a good job."

I laughed softly and he stroked my back.

"You did, as always."

He chuckled and I felt his lips on my hair.

"Did you cry when Barney shot me?"

I growled.

"I'm going to shoot him." I said.

"Did you?"

I looked into his icy eyes.

"What do you think?"

He smiled gently and kissed my cheek. I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

Gunner's POV

She fell asleep and I smiled. Sometimes I still mentally kicked myself for taking so long to realize she'd given me her heart. I looked her peaceful face. Her soft hair laid out behind her.

"I'm never letting you go." I whispered.

I kissed her softly so I wouldn't wake her up.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

She was still naked in my arms when I woke up.

"I could get used to this."

"Hmm."

She slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me.

"Hey you."

"Hey."

She kissed my lips and then sat up. I stroked her back and she looked over her shoulder at me.

"I like seeing you first thing in the morning." She said.

"Yeah? I was thinking the same."

She smiled brightly and got out of bed. She pulled on some cloths and tied her hair back.

Karina's POV

I turned to Gunner and he sat up a bit, the blanket pooling low at his hips. I smiled and walked over to him, putting my hands on his shoulders.

"Hungry?" I asked.

A smile came to his face.

"Yeah."

I started to move away but he grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap. He kissed me and pinned me to the bed. When he leaned back I smirked.

"I meant for food."

"I know."

I laughed a bit and gently pushed on his chest. He pulled his jeans on as I walked out towards the kitchen. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

"Maybe I'll keep a pair of jeans here."

I smiled.

"Sounds good to me."

He kissed my shoulder and then my neck. The phone started ringing and I sighed. I picked up the phone.

"Yes?"

My sister was on the line.

"YA podzvonyv vam mynuloyi nochi. Zaraz ya trokhy zaynyatyy." (**I called you last night. I'm a little preoccupied right now.**) I said.

Gunner smiled at me and I winked. He started making coffee.

"Where do you keep the coffee, baby?"

"_Do you have someone there with you!?_"

I growled and pointed to the cabinet.

"Tak." (**Yes.**)

Gunner's POV

I managed to make coffee. She hung up her phone and I handed her a cup.

"Well, my sister was quite happy to hear that I wasn't alone anymore."

"Yeah?"

She drank the coffee and then smiled a bit.

"She's always worried. Says that my job is too dangerous and being alone isn't good."

"She's right."

She chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy for once."

I smiled. She put down her cup and walked over to me, putting her arms around me when she reached me. I held her close to me.

Karina's POV

I felt whole. For once in my life I had something to be happy about. I felt his lips on my hair and smiled. I looked up into his eyes.

"Still want me to be with someone 'better'?"

He smirked.

"No. You're mine."

I laughed and he kissed me. I moved my hands over his chest down to his abdomen. He ran his fingers through my hair and stopped between my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around his midsection and slipped my tongue into his mouth. He moaned softly and held me a little tighter.

After four months, Gunner moved into my apartment. The team gave us a hard time but we were too happy to care. The one day after nearly a year, Church came back. He wanted us to take out an arms dealer called Viktor Menz. We met at Tool's.

"I thought we were done with Church."

"He gave us some valuable information. It's a favor for a favor." Barney said.

I didn't like it, but it was Barney's call.

"So, where to this time?"

"We got a train to catch. Gear up, meet at the hanger in three hours."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Gunner's POV

Ceasar went to the main location alone while the rest of us tracked down a train heading for Denzali prison. We took a helicopter and I got out with Christmas and Toll to set up a wire across the tracks. We ran back to the helicopter and Karina handed me my gun. She winked and Barney took off. We headed back down the tracks and towards the oncoming train.

"Lucky ring on!" Barney said.

"I feel so much safer!" mocked Christmas.

"Danko! You're up!"

She hooked herself up and then smiled.

"I love this job."

She jumped out of the helicopter and onto the train. She disappeared down a hole. They brought up a big gun but didn't get a chance to use it.

"That's my girl!"

The guard fell dead and she disappeared again. We fired at the remaining guards on top of the train and the wire took out the rest. We got onto the train while Barney covered us from the air.

Karina's POV

I made my way through the train until I met up with the others. Lee took the keys off a dead guard and opened the cell door. Lee walked in and cut the prisoner loose.

"Let's go." He said.

The man didn't say a word. He looked at us but then stared at a picture on the wall. Lee waved his hand in front of his face but got no reaction.

"_What's the hold up!?_" Barney asked.

"Nothing, we're on our way. Let's go!"

Lee gave him a push and we got out of the train.

"K."

Gunner had me get into the chopper first. He, Lee and Toll got in, but the man just looked at Barney.

"You're dude's trippin'!" Toll said.

He turned and ran towards the front of the train. He made the train go full speed and then started shooting at the prison walls.

"Forget this maniac!"

"I'm not leavin' him!" Barney said.

He was running out of track.

"Doc! DOC!"

He finally jumped in and we pulled up just I time. The train crashed into the prison, causing a huge explosion. Gunner was laughing while the rest of us smiled or cheered. We flew back to the plane and got out of the chopper.

'Well, that was fun." I said.

Gunner laughed and put his arm around my shoulders. He spit out his gum before we got on the plane.

Barney's POV

"You just gonna roll up on me. After eight damn years?"

"You were in a Black Ops prison that didn't officially exist. I just got the location from a guy named Church. An agency spook."

"Excuse me?"

"Agency official, relax."

"What a waste of life. You make one damn mistake!"

"It wasn't a mistake it was stupid. If you'd done that to me I woulda chopped ya into pieces."

He laughed.

"You woulda tried!"

"Hey, you wanna thank the team?"

"Wait, the team? You let a girl on the team?"

"That woman has all our skills combined."

"Well, where are our guys? Hammer? Woodsman?"

"Gone." I said.

"They're gone?"

I stopped to blow up the chopper.

"Yeah."

"Damn."

We got on the plane and took off.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Gunner's POV

I sat there sharpening my knife, Karina had her legs up on my lap. The doc was staring at us.

"Heard you killed more people than the plague." Toll said.

I smirked.

"How about that?"

"Is this why they call you 'Doctor Death'?" Karina asked

He looked at her.

"Used to be a medic… that was a long time ago."

He kept staring at her.

"So, why'd you get locked away?" Toll asked.

He had a weird look on his face when he said,

"Tax evasion."

Karina and I looked at each other.

"So you're all that's left of the Expendables?"

"We're it."

"Barney let a woman on the team."

"Careful." I growled.

"No disrespect. Barney tells me got some badass skill."

I smiled at her. She didn't say anything.

"We started out with five. Worked up to twenty-two!"

We just stared at him. He looked over.

"I see Barney's still hanging the tags. That jingling sound the tags make, it's a reminder that uh, the brothers are still here… somewhere." He looked at me. "Come on, Viking. Give an old schooler your blade. Or else, you might find your tags up there… jingling too. Jingalang jingalang!"

Karina sat up.

"Did you threaten him?"

I pat her leg and held the knife out to him.

"Sharpen it when your done."

He took the knife and started shaving.

"That your lady?"

I looked at Karina.

"Yeah. Got a problem with it?"

"You lucky boy."

Karina smirked and I pulled her onto my lap. He stared at the three of is while he shaved. He finished and handed it back. He went up front and Karina took my knife.

"I'll sharpen it."

I smirked and put my arm around her waist.

Barney's POV

"So what's the story with the love birds back there?"

"Gunner was a junky. She was the only one who could get through to him. She never gave up on him no matter how many promises he broke. He tried to kill me and I had to shoot him. She wouldn't leave him. He was out of it and didn't even realize she was there. He told me not to let anyone hurt her. That idiot didn't realize he loved her until about three years later. Danko is the best thing that ever happened to him. He'd probably be dead if it weren't for her. He got clean for her, least that's what he told me." I said.

"That moron kept screwin' his life up. She never gave up. He still ended up with one of the best women I've ever known. He got damn lucky." Christmas added.

"I'll say. She's a beauty."

"Yeah, but real deadly."

Christmas laughed a bit.

Gunner's POV

"What you think of him, baby?"

She looked up as she sharpened the knife.

"Interesting, but unbalanced."

"He was in prison for eight years." Toll said.

"True." She said.

She twirled the knife and then handed it back.

"Thanks, baby."

She smiled and kissed me. I put my hand on the back of her head.

Karina's POV

He wouldn't let me pull away, I was alright with that. I heard Toll groan and move away from us. I smiled and leaned back. I saw Doc turn around.

"Uh… listen up."

We looked at him.

"It's been a long time since I had a reason to say… thank you. So I just wanna… you know I uh… say uh… thank you."

Then he actually bowed. Gunner looked at me and I smacked him.

"Be nice."

"I'll be nice."

He pulled me back onto his lap and looked into my eyes.

"I'm a nice guy."

I smirked and traced the scar on his cheek. He smiled and kissed my palm.

"SO where'd you learn to fight like that, baby girl?"

I slowly looked at Doc.

"Are you addressing me?"

"Sorry. Danko."

"Here and there."

"That how you met your Viking?"

"Yes."

"Where ya from?"

'Kyiv, Ukraine." I told him.

"Not much of a talker are ya?"

I didn't answer that question. Gunner was looking at him funny.

"Relax." I said softly.

He looked at me and I winked.

"Alright guys, we're three hours away. Get some rest." Barney said.

"You tired?"

"Not really."

He smirked and leaned to my ear.

"If it were up to me, I'd wear you out."

I chuckled and kissed his cheek.

"They always like this?"

"Used to be worse." Toll told Doc.

I rolled my eyes and laid my head on Gunner's lap. He rubbed my arm and I closed my eyes.

Gunner's POV

As usual, she fell asleep. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

"Gunner?"

I looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

She smiled softly.

"I love you." She whispered.

I smiled at her and stroked her cheek.

"Love you back."

She closed her eyes again.

"Make sure you tell her that a lot." I looked at the Doc. "In our line a work you never know what day might be your last."

I nodded and tried to get a little rest.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Karina's POV

We landed in Somalia and met up with Cesar.

" 'Bout time you guys showed up." He said.

"Nice boat."

"Thank you ladies. Built it myself. Got three more just like it patrolling the harbor."

We all climbed in and sat down. He looked at Doc when he got in.

"Do you the reason I been stuck down in this shithole?"

"Shithole? Brother you have no idea!" he said.

Toll handed Cesar his big gun and I smiled.

_Cesar and his big weapons._

"Oh yeah!"

"The hell is that?"

"This bitch'll solve all your problems." Cesar said.

"Yeah, maybe for ten seconds. Before it blows it's wad." Gunner said.

I chuckled and shook my head.

"So now you got that problem too?"

I managed to hold back my laughter while Gunner glared at Cesar.

"You walked into that one!" Barney told him.

"Come on, look alive! Look alive!"

He started the boat and we sailed around the harbor. I leaned over to Gunner to whisper in his ear.

"You definitely don't have that problem, love. You can remind me when I get home."

He smiled at me and winked. He dropped us off but Gunner stayed in the boat.

"Be careful, K."

"I'm always careful."

I followed Barney and the others towards a big ship. We slipped past the guards and oved further in. Gunner and Cesar followed us from the river. We headed into a warehouse and split up. I heard a little fight and turned.

"It was all under control."

"That's what it looked like." Christmas replied sarcastically.

I smirked and they joined us again.

"Where you been?" Barney asked.

"I had a doctor's appointment."

I smirked and then Doc ran off.

"Catch up with you guys later."

He ran up a flight of stairs and kicked open a door.

"Where's he going?" I asked.

No one answered so we kept moving.

"Danko, run ahead."

I nodded and moved forward.

Gunner's POV

I saw Karina slip out a door and moved towards the containers. She peered around corners before she'd wave for the others to follow. I saw a guard.

"Watch your overhead." I said.

Barney looked up and shot him. I held up my rifle and shot two more off the roof. He nodded and I gave him the thumbs up. I continued my watch and every now and then shot another soldier.

Karina's POV

Barney held up his fist and we stopped, pressing ourselves against the wall.

"Doc, go!"

He leapt forward and my eyes widened. I was incredibly impressed.

"He might be better than I am." I said.

"Don't sell yourself short, Danko. You could blow him away." Said Lee.

Doc continued his climb, silently killing guards along the way.

"Very impressive." I said.

"Damn, he's good." Toll said.

"Maybe to you." Lee said.

I had to keep myself from laughing. I couldn't wait to tell Gunner about this later. He stopped and stared at something.

"_You gonna wanna see this._"

"See what?" Barney asked.

"_I'll show you._"

He went into the room and killed the man operating the crane. He set a container down in front of us.

"Damn, he's really good." Toll said.

"Say that again and I'll shoot you." Le told him.

"Chill." Barney said.

"_Get in!_"

We went forward and got into the container. Doc lifted us up and I saw large groups of soldiers.

"Where's the bomb?"

"It'll be here." Barney said.

I heard a chopper in the distance.

"_Barney looks like the target is right on time._" Said Doc.

The chopper landed and I saw a man climb out. This had to be Menz. However, when I saw the look on Barney's face I knew something was very wrong.

"No, that can't be… he's dead."

"Who?" I asked.

"_Stonebanks…_"

Barney burst out of the container.

"STONEBANKS!"

He started firing and so did we. The man, Stonebanks, got back into his chopper. Our only problem now, was the amount of guards and soldiers firing back at us.

"_Come on! Get in, get, get in, get in!_"

We all went back, except for Barney.

"Barney!" I called.

Doc started to take us up and Barney jumped for us. He grabbed onto the door but he was wide open. I climbed up the other side and onto the top. I shot at the soldiers and then Cesar started blasting them away. However, after about ten seconds, he stopped.

"_Told ya! Ten seconds!_" said Gunner.

If it were any other time, I would've been laughing. Doc set us down in front of a truck and we ran out. We killed the men and took the truck. Lee and Barney got in front while I rode in the bed with Toll.

"Danko, take the front."

I got on the roof and Toll fire behind us. We picked up Doc and Lee floored the gas pedal. I nearly fell off, but Doc pulled me back. Lee drove through a wall and then made a sharp turn. This time Doc fell over the side and was nearly crushed between our truck and another. We got out and commandeered the bigger one. There was still a truck chasing us. I growled in frustration.

"Lee, hit the breaks!" I said.

"Why?!"

"Just do it!"

I got down and when he hit the break I jumped onto the other truck. I shoved knife into the gunman and shot the driver.

"_Cesar, we're coming your way. Where are ya?"_

"_In this filthy river behind you!_"

"_Try to stay as close as you can._" Barney told him.

Cesar sailed closer to us. I knew exactly what he was gonna do.

Gunner's POV

Cesar sailed right up a ramp.

"Make room for Cesar! Move yo asses!"

He landed on the back of Barney's truck. Karina was still driving behind us. A chain caught onto the boat and the boat was yanked off the truck. It almost took me and Cesar with it! Karina drove up beside us and I pulled out of the truck and onto ours. A missile hit the building next to us, sending debris everywhere. Lee pulled the truck over and we got up, shooting at the oncoming truck. I saw heard a chopper and looked up. A man was leaning out the door with a sniper rifle. He was aiming at…"

"K!"

Cesar pushed her as the man fired. He got hit in the leg and fell.

"Cesar!"

The man fired again and then dropped a bomb.

"GO! GO! GO!"

I helped Cesar up and we ran for the river. The force of the blast threw us forward into the water.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Karina's POV

My best friend was shot by a bullet meant for me. I felt sick as we pulled ourselves out of the water. We laid Cesar down and Doc started doing what he could. He was in so much pain. We had to hold him still so Doc could help him. Gunner held his hands over his chest to keep pressure on one of the wounds. Barney held onto his hand while I had his head on my lap.

"Do something!" I shouted.

Doc did everything he could. Cesar passed out from the pain and we carried him back to the plane. We sat around him, no one spoke. Gunner took my hand and I squeezed.

"Chomu vy tse zrobyly?" (**Why did you do this?**) I whispered.

Gunner put his arm around me and pulled me to his chest. I hid my face in his shoulder so no one would see the single tear that rolled down my cheek.

We took Cesar directly to the hospital when we landed. They took him to surgery and we cleaned ourselves up while we waited. When we got back… there were IV's in his arm and a breathing mask on his face. I'd never seen him so vulnerable. We were all gathered in his room, Gunner had his arm around my shoulders. Barney set the lucky ring down on the table.

'Maybe this will bring you luck." He said softly.

Barney walked outside but we stayed.

"This is my fault…"

"No, K don't talk like that."

"That bullet was meant for me! Now my friend is lying in a hospital bed, unconscious. It should've been me." I said.

"This ain't your fault, Danko. Any of us would've done the same. Don't go blaming yourself, he wouldn't want that." Lee said.

I shook my head and leaned against the wall. I saw Trench outside talking with Barney.

Barney's POV

"Is he gonna make it?" Trench asked.

"I don't know."

"Who did this?"

I curled my hand into a fist.

"Stonebanks."

He slowly looked at me.

"I thought you killed him."

"So did I. He was gonna shoot Danko, Cesar pushed her and took the shot. He shot him to get back at me." I said.

"You know, I'm getting out of this business. And so should you."

I turned and started to walk away.

"Not yet."

"Hey."

I looked over my shoulder.

"If you need any help with Stonebanks…"

I walked away. A man was outside waiting for me.

Gunner's POV

I took Karina home, she was silent the entire time. When we got home, she cried. I held her to me and let her. She blamed herself and I wished she wouldn't. After a while, she calmed down and looked at me. I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek.

"He'll make it. He's a strong guy. You know that."

She took my hand and closed her eyes.

"I want this man dead. I won't stop until he is."

"I know, baby."

She stood up when her phone rang.

"Yeah, Barney?... Okay."

She hung up and looked at me.

"He wants us to meet at the bar."

"Let's go."

We just took my bike this time. Everyone was already there so we sat down. I didn't like the look on Barney's face.

"You know, it's very hard for me to say this, but at one time you guys were the best. Maybe you still are. But nothin' lasts forever." He leaned forward. "Hard as it is to hear, you aren't the future anymore, we're part of the past."

Karina's eyes were narrowed, but she stayed quiet.

"You uh… you going somewhere with this?" Christmas asked.

"As I see it, if we keep this life up… the only way this ends… for all of us… is in a hole in the ground and no one giving a shit. Now, if that's the way I'm supposed to go out, I can live with that, for me. But what I can't live with and won't live with, is taking you with me."

"What're you saying? That's our call." Toll said.

Barney looked at him seriously.

"I'm changing things now. You, me, all of us… it's over."

Karina's hand was curled into a fist and I knew she was close to blowin' up.

"You break me out, cut me loose?" Doc asked.

"You'll survive, you all will."

Karina slammed her fist down on the table and walked out. I scowled at Barney.

"You wanna cut us out, fine. But she's gotta right to get back at this guy. You know it, we know it."

"Fine. I'll give her this last job. But not you."

He got up and walked out.

"Where you going, Barney?" Christmas asked.

He ignored him but Christmas went after him. Karina came back inside a few minutes later.

"I can't go without all of you."

"You can and you will." I said.

She shook her head and I stood up.

"The big guy's right. The bullet was meant for you but he took it. So you go, you get him for all of us." Toll said.

She sighed and drove her fingers through her hair.

"Fine. But I don't like it."

She looked at me and I walked up to her.

"Just be careful?"

She wrapped her arms around me and I sighed. I looked at Toll and the Doc.

"Barney'll be getting' a new team. Teach 'em a thing or two, Danko."

She chuckled and nodded.

"They'll never be as good as this team."

"Exactly."

"Hey, look at me, baby."

She looked up into my eyes.

"You kill anyone who tries to stop ya. Got it?"

"Yes."

I nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Let's go home."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Barney's POV

I had two so far. Now we were in Arizona, Apache Junction.

'Next kid's a bit of a dark horse. Just came across my desk. I don't like throwing in wild cards, but this guy's creds were too good to pass up." We walked in. "Anyone seen Felipe?" someone pointed up. "Yo! Felipe!"

He came down. Doing back flips and swinging off bars.

"You finally got it right, Bonapart."

"Yeah not bad."

Felipe came down and walked over to us.

"Felipe Silvo. Meet Barney Ross."

He pulled his bandanna down, he wasn't a kid.

"Galgo! You sent me another fake resume!?"

"Eh, Mr. Ross, I can whatever you need! I can be whatever you need! I am healthier than I look! Stronger than I look! Faster than I look!"

"Bullshit! You were born in nineteen-eighty-four?"

"Of course not! But I feel like I was born in eighty-four."

"Do not waste your time, Barney we're leaving."

"Mr. Ross! Mr. Ross please! It's like I have this covered. The fountain of youth! I'm mean not… THE fountain of youth…"

I felt a little sorry for this guy. He seemed desperate.

"Age is just a state of mind. You're only old when you surrender, when you give up and I haven't. Not yet."

"Galgo, this shit has got to stop! This is the third time this month. Move on!"

I walked out with Bonapart.

"What's this guy's story?" I asked.

"Actually I feel a little sorry for him. His last team dropped him. Back in the day, you couldn't catch this guy. Very fast! Maybe even faster than you."

"No way."

"Oh! Maybe. But what can I say? It's a young man's game."

As we walked away, I heard him shouting.

"I NEED A JOB! All I know what to do is killing people! And I do that very well! Goddamnit!"

Our next stop was a military base in California.

Karina's POV

Barney would be back tomorrow and we'd be leaving in the morning. Gunner came into the bedroom and I sighed.

"This doesn't feel right."

I turned to him, he was leaning against the doorframe. His arms crossed across his bare chest.

"We should all be going." I said.

"Come on, you love this job."

"But I love you and our friends more!"

He walked over and put his hands on my arms.

"Yeah and that's why you're going. You're doin' this for Cesar."

I sighed but nodded. He lifted my face and kissed my lips. I closed my eyes and moved my lips with his. He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled my body to his. He leaned back, pressed his forehead to mine.

"Just come back to me."

I reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I promise."

He kissed me again and backed me up towards the bed. I sat down and he knelt down in front of me. I could help but smile at him. He kissed me again and I moved further back onto the bed. He moved down to my neck and I arched my back. I moved my hands up his smooth back to his shoulders. He nipped my collar bone and I moaned softly. One of his hands played with the hem of my shirt, his warm fingers teasing my skin. I smiled and looked into his eyes. He cupped my breast and pulled me up so he could take off my shirt. He unhooked my bra and tossed it aside. I unbuckled his belt before he pushed me back down. He pulled down my shorts and panties before softly stroking between my legs.

"Gunner…mmm."

He pushed a finger inside me and I groaned in pleasure. He closed his mouth around my nipple and flicked with his tongue. He added a second finger and curled them. I dug my nails into his shoulders and he grunted. He withdrew his fingers and lowered his hips to mine. I could feel his rock hard cock straining against his jeans. I gently pushed him back and pushed down his jeans and boxers. He leaned back and I straddled him, his engorged cock rubbing over my sensitive flesh. He groaned and moved his hands up my legs.

Gunner's POV

My cock was throbbing to be inside her, but this needed to last. I didn't know how long she'd be gone. I moved my hands up her soft, creamy skin. She put both her hands on my chest and moved her hip once.

"Karina!" I growled.

She chuckled and leaned down. She kissed beneath my ear and twisted my fingers in the blankets. She leaned back, kissing my neck and jaw before kissing my lips. She moaned into my mouth and I sat up.

"I need you." I growled.

She lifted her hips and positioned herself above my cock before sinking down on it. Both of us groaned while I filled every inch of her. I always gave her a minute to adjust. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me as she moved her hips in a circular motion. I wrapped an arm around her as I thrust up.

"AH!"

She bit her full, lower lip and I laid her on her back. She looked into my eyes as I pulled out. I started slow, trying to make the pleasure last. She traced the scar on my cheek and leaned forward to kiss my shoulder. I dropped my mouth to hers and started to thrust a little harder and faster.

"Harder!" She said.

I was happy to give in to her demands. I was desperate for release, I felt like I was going to explode. I kissed her again, her tongue wrestling with mine. She swallowed my moans and I went faster, I was starting to get desperate. She cried my name and came around my cock.

"Karina!"

I kept thrusting as I spilled myself inside her.

Karina's POV

He slowly stopped and then held himself up on his forearms. I ran my fingers through his damp hair with a smile.

"I love you."

"Love you back." He said.

I laughed a bit and he kissed me softly.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Karina's POV

I went to the hanger and saw the new team. They were only kids. Couldn't be any older than mid-twenties.

"Barney."

He looked at me.

"Is this a joke?"

"No. They're with us. Give 'em a few tips, Danko."

I looked at the kids who'd replaced my friends. I didn't like them, but I'd work with them. There was a girl among them. About ten minutes later, Gunner and the guys walked in. I ran to Gunner and he took me in his arms.

"Didn't think I'd let you leave without goodbye, did ya?"

I smiled and looked at them sadly.

"You should not be here."

"Yeah, I know. But we are." Lee said.

They walked back with me and Barney came out.

"Who the hell are they?" Lee asked.

"They're with me." Barney said.

Gunner took a drink.

"And we're not?"

"Gunner I told you everything I needed to back at the bar. Stop drinking so much."

I looked at Gunner.

"You wanna get yourself killed. With those youngsters." Doc said.

Barney shook his head.

"Do us all a favor and get the hell outta here."

Barney walked away and I looked at my friends.

"I don't like it anymore than you do."

Gunner looked over at them.

"Come on."

They walked over and I sighed. Doc walked up and sniffed at Marlito.

"Amateur."

I smirked and so did Lee.

"Amateur assholes." Toll said.

"Who you calling asshole, grandpa!?"

Toll took a step forward.

"Grandpa's about to crush your windpipe!"

Doc walked over to Luna and I smirked. Gunner then walked towards Thorn. He looked at the computers.

"Is this your toy? Boy?"

Thorn turned to him.

"You wanna dance big guy?"

"Enough! Gunner!"

"HEY!"

Smiley came out and looked at all of us.

"It's just a job."

He nodded to me and I nodded back. I had a sort of silent respect for him, and vice versa.

"Take care of yourself, Danko. Come on, lets go."

Toll and started to walk away but Gunner came back to me.

"Bunch of old has-beens still trying to be hard."

I glared at Marlito.

"Say that again, see what happens." I hissed.

"You're young and your dumb." Lee said.

He took a knife and threw it into a cabinet an inch away from Marlito's face.

"Jingalang, jingalang." Doc said.

"You hang onto that one Danko. Use it for me."

I took the knife and nodded. He winked and walked off. Gunner turned me towards him.

"Come back quick, baby."

I smiled at him. He took his knife and handed it to me.

"You know what to do."

I took it and he kissed me. He leaned back and looked at the locket he'd given me.

"I love ya."

"Love you back."

He smiled and hugged me tightly.

"You show that insect what happens when he screws with us."

I took a deep breath, breathing in his scent.

"Danko! You got two minutes." Barney said.

Gunner rubbed my back.

"Look at me, baby."

I looked up into his icy eyes. He smiled at me.

"Go." He said.

I kissed him hard and then walked away, his hand sliding from mine. I got on the plane and glared at Marlito.

"You talk bad about them again, you'll have me to deal with." I said.

I walked off before he could answer. I looked at Gunner's knife and sighed.

"YA skoro budu vdoma." (**I'll be home soon.**) I whispered.

The plane took off and I put my headphones in.

Gunner's POV

She'd been by my side the entire time I'd known her. Having her go so far from me felt weird. And after living together for almost a year I didn't like being home without her. It felt like half of me was just gone. I hated the feeling and I wanted it to go away.

Karina's POV

Everyone had fallen asleep but me. I played with my knife, I hadn't done so in a long time. Barney walked back and looked at me.

"Don't you ever sleep, Danko?"

"It's hard to fall asleep by yourself when you're not used to it. Besides, I'm not tired."

He sighed.

"I know you're mad at me. You'll thank me for it one day."

I put the knife away.

"Or you'll wish you hadn't done it."

I sat back and Smiley sat up.

"Got a minute?" he asked Barney.

"What you need?" Barney asked.

"Tell me more about this guy we're going after." He said.

Barney shook his head slightly.

"Doesn't matter, you were hired to do a job."

He sat up in a frustrated manner.

"How about telling me why we're doing this job." He said.

Barney turned to face him.

"I owe you a salary that's it."

Smiley stood up and I watched carefully. I knew Barney could take care of himself, but from what I'd heard, Smiley was no stranger to fights.

"Why're we going after Stonebanks?"

"You have a hard time taking orders, don't you?"

"If I don't know what they are, yeah."

I smirked.

"I know you don't give a damn about us. I get that. But just tell me why you wanna take out this guy so bad."

Barney didn't say anything. He just slapped a file against Smiley's chest. He went back up front and looked at me as he passed.

"He's a lot like you."

I smirked and shook my head. I saw horror in Smiley's eyes when he looked through the file. He stopped and then looked at me.

"Did you know this?"

"Know what?"

He passed me the file and even I was surprised. He'd been an Expendable!

"No. But Barney has his right to his secrets. As do we all." I said.

"So you follow him even though you don't know anything about this guy?"

I leaned forward and looked directly into his eyes.

"This bastard tried to kill me. The only reason I'm here is because my best friend pushed me away and took the bullet. Now he's lying in a hospital bed unconscious. I was supposed to get hit, not him! We all have our own reasons for doing what we do. We choose whether or not to share past pain with others. I'm sure there are things I'll never know about you and I can guarantee there are things you'll never know about me. Show a little respect." I said.

I tossed him the file and leaned back. I started playing with my knife again, hoping and praying Cesar would be alright.

"Sorry." He said.

I looked at him and nodded, but said nothing. I twirled my knife, tossed it in the air, but it wasn't working like it used to. Half of me was gone, back home.

"YA sumuyu za toboyu." (**I miss you.**)

I closed my fingers around my locket and closed my eyes.

Gunner's POV

I spent most of my time at a gun club. Shooting at targets and missing my girl. Cesar still wasn't waking up and the doctor's hadn't told us anything new. I didn't know what to do with my time. It was boring.

Karina's POV

We were parachuting from the plane. Thorn was very excited. We jumped and landed just outside Bucharest. We set up shop in the safe house Barney told us about and waited until morning.

Barney and I sat in a little outdoor café and order coffee, sunglasses on. Thorn was up high ready to take pictures while Smiley was keeping watch over by a paper stand. There were a lot of people out and about today. Bucharest was a lovely place, I hoped to come back. The cars arrived and I sat up straight.

"We're on." Barney said.

My hands curled into fists when I saw Stonebanks.

"Danko."

I looked at Barney.

"I'll let you have your shot at him."

I nodded and tried to relax.

"_This guy's got more muscle than a cartel gang."_

_ "Maybe he's overcompensating for something._" Smiley said.

I smirked.

"_What're drinking down there Barney? Is that like a vanilla latte or something?_" Thorn asked.

"Mocha." I said.

"Stay sharp."

Stonebanks started walking up the stairs.

"_Luna, move._"

She walked out in her pretty outfit, Stonebanks obviously looking at her backside.

"Move the car." I said.

Marlito drove forward and stopped only a couple inches from Luna. Several men stood up around the café. There were even more around Stonebanks. Luna hit the car and kept walking.

"_Nice driving Marz._"

"Good performance." Barney said.

I nodded in agreement.

"_Yeah too good. Any closer and I'd beat his ass._" Luna said.

"I believe her." Barney said.

I smirked and stood up.

"Not bad for their first job. Not bad at all."

"Hear that? You got a praise from Danko. That's rare." Said Barney.

I rolled my eyes and we left. They weren't a bad bunch of kids, at least not so far.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I looked over the pictures with Thorn.

"This guy's protected better than the president. And his crib's a five star fortress." Marlito said.

Thorn handed me a picture.

"We're not taking him there." I looked at Barney. "The hotel is full of guests."

"So where do we hit him?" Luna asked.

"At the meet. We hit him at all four sides, we hit him hard."

I loaded my gun as I listened.

"Okay uh… so our plan is to kick down the door and start spraying bullets?" Thorn asked.

"That's a good plan, if it's nineteen-eighty-five." Luna said.

I froze.

"What's that mean?" Barney asked.

"You heard me."

I slowly turned to her.

"Show some respect. You're not as badass as you think."

"Oh, and you can do better?"

"I don't care for boasting, but yes."

"Enough. Danko, chill. You got a better plan?"

"Much better. Thorn." Smiley said.

"Oh, okay, I'm the plan."

He pulled a blueprint forward.

"This oughta be good." Barney said.

I had to admit, his plan was a good one. Hacking and stealth kills.

"This should be a walk in the park for you, Danko."

"Why's that?" Marlito asked.

"Danko here has been my stealth girl for almost six years. We sent her in when we need something done silently and quickly. She's quick, she's light and I haven't seen anything she can't do yet. Knives, guns, close combat, you name it, she's got it down. She's always been a valuable member of the team, and a close friend. Always will be."

I smiled at Barney and nodded. We decided to go with Thorn's plan. I sat in the back of the van with Smiley, Thorn and Marlito. Thorn was typing away and I took out Gunner's knife.

_"Phosphate rock!"_

I smiled to myself at that memory.

_"What're ya doin' Gunner?" _

_ "I'm making a bomb. Do you mind?"_

"What's funny?"

I looked at Smiley.

"Just good memories."

"So why'd the big guy give you his knife?"

"Because I know how to use it. So that I can protect myself. It makes him feel better knowing I have it."

"So, why'd Barney let them go and not you?" Marlito asked me.

"That's her business, Marz."

I looked at Smiley.

"Some people just have things they want to keep to themselves."

I gave him a half smile.

"Right. But if you must know, I'm here because Stonebanks tried to kill me. My friend and teammate pushed me away and took the bullet meant for me. I should've been shot, not him. Now he lies in a hospital bed and I don't know if he'll make it. I have a right to cause this man pain in some way. And I will. For Cesar."

"I can respect that." I looked at Thorn. "Not a lot of people would do that for someone. It's a good quality."

I nodded.

"SO what about the big guy?"

I pointed the knife at him with a little smile.

"That is personal."

I winked and he chuckled a bit.

"You're alright for people so young. You have a lot left to learn, but you have my respect. That's not easily given."

"Fair enough."

Smiley looked at me.

"What's his name?"

I smiled to myself.

"Gunner Jensen."

Gunner's POV

Cesar woke up. He was still in bad shape, but he was awake. I went to see him with Christmas, Toll and Doc.

"You're alive. Good to have ya back pal." Christmas said.

"Is Danko okay?"

I smiled.

"She's fine. You saved her."

"Where's Barney?"

We all looked at each other.

"He went and got himself a new team. Went after the bastard that took you down. He let Danko go with him because she felt responsible for what happened. She'll give him a scar to remember. For all of us." Toll said.

I nodded and he looked at me.

"You've never been without her before. How ya doin'?"

"I'm fine. Just worried."

"Yeah we all are. Her and Barney with a bunch a kids."

That wasn't helping.

"You're not helping." I growled.

"Ah she'll be fine."

I took a drink.

"I hope so."

Karina's POV

We had him, but I had a bad feeling. It had all been too easy. Barney was glaring at him.

"Why don't you just put a bullet in his head and be done with it?"

He started waking up and Barney punched him right in the face.

"Hey! You said we were taking him in." Thorn said.

I sat quietly and waited.

"Good morning!" he looked around. "Are these your students? Hey kids, what ya learn tonight? Hey what happened to the old crew?"

I tightened my hand around Gunner's knife.

"Oh, that's right. They stuck their noses into other people's worlds and got fatally injured. Now they're the deletables. Hey, you hear that kids? Take notes 'cause that's what you're doing right now."

Smiley looked at Barney.

"You want me to shut his mouth?"

"If anyone's gonna do that it'll be Danko. I made her a promise."

I twirled Gunner's knife, never taking my eyes off Stonebanks.

"You're talking pretty tough to a guy who's incapacitated. Which is good for you and your lady friend there."

"Is it?"

"Cut me loose, I'll open your meat shirt and show you your own heart."

I was really starting to lose my patience. He looked at me and smiled a bit.

"Hey Barney, why don't the two of us just end this? What do ya say? Mix it up. Either you snapping my spine or me snapping yours. You know, make it snappy."

Smiley smirked.

"He thinks I'm joking. I'm not joking. You should see me when I'm angry, you'd be very impressed. And very dead. So, come on pal. Anything you wanna get off your chest."

Barney stayed quiet.

"Come on, lay it out. I'm a good listener. You gonna take me back to the has-been crew? Carve me up in front of a fire? Very tribal."

Barney slowly leaned forward.

"When we stop, I'm gonna break every bone in your body. Then I'm gonna drop what's left of you back at the Hage."

"The Hage."

He laughed.

"I'm a war criminal."

"Keep laughing." Barney said.

"Do you think that you can just deliver me, like a package?"

He didn't say anything. He just stared at him.

"We were close once. See we started this whole Expendables thing together. Look, I got the markers."

He turned and Barney looked at me.

"Put that knife to use."

I slowly smiled.

"Hold him down."

"You think I'm scared of you?"

I grabbed his chin.

"You should be."

I enjoyed the painful scream he let out when I cut the tattoo right from his arm.

"Damn… she is good."

"That was for my friend." I hissed.

He glared at me. He told his story, but I didn't care.

"If you can call Uncle Sam a competitor, hires my own team, Barney and the whole crew to whack me. Things got ugly real fast and a lot of people got dead. Three former brothers in arms."

"You shut your mouth." Barney hissed.

"Three Expendables! Our brothers! Men we fought with, ate with, bled with, dead! He puts three slugs in my chest, thank god for body armor, even I thought I was dead. Then he boogies out with the casualty. All dead! Because you couldn't stay out of my business!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

Barney stood up and pulled a gun on him.

"Barney! No!"

"Go on do it! GO ON!"

"That's what he wants."

Thorn and Smiley got him to sit down and I put my hand on his shoulder. He stated laughing.

"It's hard to fathom, I can't believe you forgot."

"Forgot what?"

'That it's hard to beat an enemy when you're livin' inside your own head. See you tie me up, like an animal and lead me to the slaughter. You humiliate me, disgrace me. When the time comes to kill you, and it will. I will not use a weapon I will use my bare hands, because I want you to feel the way that I feel right now. We were brothers."

He then headbutted Barney.

"HEY!"

I put a knife to his throat.

"GPS TRACKER!" Thorn shouted.

"How 'bout that?!"

Something hit the van and we crashed. I hit my shoulder and hissed in pain. I saw Luna and Thorn, but no one else. I heard shooting outside and tried to crawl out. I saw Barney fall over the bridge and my eyes went wide.

"BARNEY!"

I was dragged out from the van and forced onto my knees. Stonebanks looked at all of us. He had something in his hand… my necklace.

"For K. Forever Love. Which of you two ladies is K?"

Luna stayed silent and so did I. He handed the necklace to one of his men.

"Find a body. Let him know we have his girl."

He and four other men left. Stonebanks took me and the others away.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Barney's POV

I felt the pain before I opened my eyes. I was alive. I heard men talking and looked up. I tried to get up but got kicked back down. They took my gun and I saw something in one's hand. It was Danko's necklace.

"We have your woman."

I saw one take out a phone. I pushed one away and got the gun I kept on my back. I killed them all and picked up the necklace.

"Gunner's gonna kick the fuck out of me for this one."

I made my way back to the plane and found Trench.

"What happened?"

"We found a shitstorm."

"It's gonna get worse."

We got on the plane and he brought me a laptop.

"This came in for you, ten minutes ago."

It was a message from Stonebanks. A video.

"_Hey Barney! My search party's dead so I'm assuming you're still with us. Now, you shoulda killed me when you had the chance, because your last window is gone. Now, I got somethin' to show ya here!"_ he turned the camera and showed me Danko and the others. "_We got harpo, groucho, gumo, chica, and your little knife girl. I need to pay her back._"

Someone else held the camera while he took Gunner's knife. I saw the pain on Danko's face as he cut her arm. It wasn't as bad, but it was long. From her shoulder to her elbow. She didn't scream, that seemed to annoy him.

"_Personally, I'd chalk it up to collateral damage. But, I know you. Forty-eight hours or they're gone for good. You want 'em, come get 'em." _

The video ended.

"What're you gonna do?" Trench asked.

"I'm gonna go get 'em."

Karina'a POV

My arm was still bleeding but I wouldn't acknowledge the pain.

"Hey Danko, you okay?"

"I'm good." I told Smiley.

Lights suddenly came on and Stonebanks walked forward.

"Lookin' a little strung out there, kids. This is what you get for being pawns in Barney's moral chess game. That one looks a little slack."

He pointed at Thorn and one of his men yanked him up violently.

"Leave him alone! You want to hurt someone you hurt me. I can take it!" I snarled.

He looked and Luna and I.

"You know I feel most bad for you two."

"We don't give a shit how you feel." She said.

I nodded.

"I do. I have a daughter, I have feelings. So, which one of you is K? Or should I beat the truth outta you?"

He started walking towards Luna.

"It's me! I'm K. Karina Danko!" I said.

He came over and looked at me.

"Your Barney's girl huh?"

"No. Not his."

He looked at my arm.

"How's that arm?"

He grabbed it and squeezed. This time, I let out a small cry of pain. I glared at him.

"I've felt worse!" I said.

"Tough one, aren't ya. That won't help you here. Bandage her up, I still need her alive."

One of his men cut me loose and looked at my arm. I smashed my head against his but then another hit me hard in the stomach.

"I bet you guys don't even know who you're working for. What? For Barney? Do you know who he's working for? Does he know who he's working for? It gets very confusing. Anyway, when the CIA wanted guys doing the dangerous work in dangerous places they called us. When they didn't wanna get their own hands dirty, they called us. Yep, we cleared every hot spot they had. We bumped the bad guys so that the good guys could roll in looking like heroes. We killed a lot. But we saved more lives than you can possibly imagine."

'And now you're taking them!"

He ignored me.

"Then, the boys on the hill didn't want any loose ends, tried to bury me. I was an American, working for America! Was. They eat their own children. The lesson here is: never do business with the government. String her back up."

They tied my hands and hung me up again.

'You're going to regret this."

"I don't think so, Karina. You think Barney's gonna save you?"

I didn't answer him. He and his men left and I closed my eyes. I thought about Gunner, to take my mind off the pain. I promised him I'd come home. I was going to do everything I could to keep that promise.

Barney's POV

I got off the plane with Trench.

"So you're getting your old team?"

"Nah, I burned that bridge."

"You know your pride is gonna get you killed. What about Danko? If Frankenstein finds out and you didn't tell him…"

"I'll take my chances. I'm not gonna leave her and the others to rot."

'So you're really gonna go back?"

"Yeah."

"Alone?"

"Yeah."

"You're an idiot."

"Thanks for showing up."

"I guess our favors are done. But you're still an idiot!"

I packed up and started loading the plane. Galgo from Arizona showed up.

"How'd you find me?"

"Well, people talk and I hear things. You got a problem, I can help. My name is Glago. Let me fill you in. I am good, very good at warfare. Good memory, afraid of nothing, and I want to be your friend."

_What is with this guy?_

"I don't need a friend."

"Yes you do."

I looked at him.

"Everybody does. I know because I don't have any. But besides my friendship issues, what I really need now is something to do. Not just anything, but what I was born to do."

'Best bet, this is a one-way trip." I told him.

"Excuse me sir, but… one-way trip is better than no way. Which is the way I live now."

I looked at him. He really wasn't gonna give up.

"Help me with the crate."

He started helping, and worse, he started talking. Non-stop talking.

Gunner's POV

Trench contacted Christmas and he contacted us. Barney and Karina needed help and they weren't going without us this time. We stood on the runway and he stopped the plane.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

'You're the only one stupid enough to get yourself into this mess! We're the only ones crazy enough to get you out!" Christmas shouted.

'Get in!" he said.

We ran forward and got on the plane. There was a skinny guy there, but Karina wasn't.

"Barney, where's K?"

He came back and held up her necklace.

"She's alive."

I took the necklace but my heart felt like it stopped. He handed me a computer next.

"She's alive." He repeated.

Christmas, Toll and Doc came up behind me. I watched a man cut her arm with my own goddamn knife! I'd never been so angry in my entire life. I threw the computer down, smashing it.

"You let her get kidnapped!?"

"Gunner cool it!"

"I didn't let her! She's alive and that's what matters. We're gonna go get her."

I took a step closer.

"If she dies… I'll never forgive you."

"I know."

He hit my arm and I sat down. I looked at the necklace in my hand.

"Just so you know," I looked up. "She used your knife to cut the Expendable tattoo right off his arm."

I smiled a bit.

"That's my girl." I said.

"That is your girl."

He went up front with Christmas.

_Just hold on baby, we're comin' to get ya._

The skinny guy, Galgo, started talking and wouldn't shut up.

"This is gonna be a long-ass flight fellas." Toll said.

"Its going to be, but don't worry I'm here. And I can't esleep on planes"

I growled and tried to think about something else. Barney suddenly threw a phone back and broke it.

"You broke your phone."

"I got another one."

I smirked and looked at the necklace again.

"I never should've let her go."

"You know Danko, no one woulda been able to stop her." Toll said.

"I still shoulda tried. But I told her to go. Now she's suffering somewhere with a bunch a useless kids."

I slammed my hands against the seat.

"W-Who is Danko?"

"She's his lady." Doc said.

"She saved him from a shitty life of drug abuse. Took him three years to realize he loved her."

"We'll get her back." Galgo said.

I looked at him but didn't say anything. The flight was the longest I'd ever been on, at least it felt that way.

"How ya doin' back there, Gunner?" Christmas asked.

"How would you be doin'?" I asked.

"Fair enough."

Galgo kept talking and I just stared at her locket.

"Just hold on." I whispered.

I put the locket in my pocket and took a deep breath.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When the plane landed I was the first one off. We got into a jeep, Galgo still rambling, and drove off. When we stopped, Barney took me aside.

"Go ahead, throw a punch. I shouldn't have let her come. I deserve it."

I shook my head.

"Nah. I'll save it for later if I need it."

He nodded and we started walking. Galgo said something as he walked past Barney.

"What you say?"

"He likes ya."

I looked at Barney and he just shook his head.

Karina's POV

The sun was coming up and my arm felt like it was on fire. Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps. Someone broke the door down and when I looked up and there he was.

"Gunner!"

He ran to me and cut me down.

"I'm here!"

I fell into his strong arms and held him as tightly as I could.

"I knew you'd come." I said.

He sank to his knees and then leaned back to look at my arm.

"I'm gonna kill that bastard!"

Doc came over and looked at my arm.

"Let's take a look girl."

He took off the bandage and Gunner's eyes widened.

"She didn't scream. Not even once." Luna said.

"She told him to hurt her, not us." Thorn added.

"She never screams. Never shows weakness. Always putting others before herself." Gunner said.

I smiled at him and he took my locket out of his pocket. I laughed a bit and he put it back around my neck.

"You got good genes girl. No infection."

"That's a relief."

He bandaged my arm and pat my shoulder.

"You're good."

I looked at Gunner again and he helped me up. I touched his cheek and he covered my hand with his.

"I got ya. I'm here now." he told me.

She smashed my lips to his hard and he held me. When I leaned back I looked at the kids.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, we're cool."

I leaned against Gunner's chest and he kept his arms around me.

"I love you." I whispered.

"Love you back."

I smiled and closed my eyes.

"_Hey Barn!_"

We all turned and saw Stonebanks on a screen.

"_I knew you couldn't stay away. But I'm relieved that someone could pick up the kids and your little Russian girlfriend. You got in there, now try getting' 'em out. But unfortunately for you, the entire complex has been wired with C4. It would take a regular joe, what? Ninety seconds to get outta there? You have… how 'bout forty-five?_"

I heard beeping and Barney walked towards the screen. He opened a wood panel and revealed a timer.

"My god…"

"He's turned this whole place into a bomb!" Lee said.

"Maybe not!"

I looked at Thorn as he ran over and took something off Gunner.

"Hey!"

"Gunner… when did you get that?"

"I've had it for a while now."

I arched my brow and he looked away.

"Mhm."

"Nine percent battery power, you didn't charge it?"

"Excuse me but, what're you doing?" A Spanish man asked.

"Trying some code, maybe I can jam the signal."

"Why didn't you think of that?" Toll asked Gunner.

"Well, I used it to check the weather."

'Will you just shut-up and let him do his thing!"

I looked at Smiley.

"Sure you can do this, Thorn?" Barney asked.

"I can do it!"

I watched the timer counting down.

"Come on, Thorn!"

"Come on, come on!"

"Got it!"

He stopped it at three seconds. I let out the breath I'd been holding. Gunner held out his hand and helped him up.

"Good work man."

"Barney the battery's at eight percent. When this thing dies we lose override. We have twenty-five minutes tops." Thorn said.

I bit my lip.

"Don't pop the bottles yet."

I ran over to Doc and looked out the window. My eyes went wide.

"We have a new problem." I said.

Everyone walked to the window.

"_Enjoy the view, because soon the entire building will be surrounded by the Izmanistan army._"

I looked at Gunner.

"How'd you shitheads manage to get captured anyway?"

"Gunner!"

"What you say?"

Marlito pushed him and I got between them.

"Don't you dare put hands on him!" I snapped.

Everyone started fighting until Barney fired his gun. We all looked at him.

"It's not an accident that we're trapped in here!" he shouted.

He walked over to us.

"This is EXACTLY what he knew would happen. Us! Tearing at each other! IT stops now! We can do this, but if only if we do this together. If we work as a team. We just may get outta this alive." He stopped in front of Smiley. "Now, do you wanna make it work? It's that simple."

"You got weapons."

Gunner put his bag down and I smiled. He gave me my AK47.

"I'll get your knife back."

"I don't want it. He used it to cut ya."

"But I cut him up first."

I smirked.

"I heard. Good job."

"She didn't scream, but she sure as hell made him scream." Smiley said.

I winked.

"She's good at that."

"Hey, Lee."

I took his knife and tossed it to him.

"I hid that one."

He smiled.

"Here's the plan. We're gonna break up into small groups and go out through the ground floor. Gunner, take Toll and Danko. Come on."

I smiled.

"Time to go to work."

Gunner laughed and we went down.

"Stay close to me, baby."

I nodded.

"Hey, Danko, glad to know you're alright." Toll said.

"I'm always alright."

He smiled at me and nodded.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Gunner, Toll and I went down the west stairs. Soldiers were starting to drop down from above. I took my lucky knife and threw, cutting one of the ropes whole the soldier was high in the air. I picked it up and shot the soldier. As we went on, the floor beneath my feet collapsed and I fell.

"K!"

I looked up with a cough.

"You okay Danko!?"

"I'm good! Go, we'll meet at the bottom."

Toll nodded and they left, Gunner reluctantly. I heard laughing and ran towards the sound. It was the Spaniard.

"Hey!"

A chopper flew up and my eyed widened.

"Run! Come on!" I called.

"Behind you!"

I turned and fired at a group of soldiers coming towards me. I heard a loud noise and looked out the window.

"TANKS!" I called.

Gunner's POV

"TANKS!"

I heard Karina shout and looked out the window.

"Hey, Toll Road! Let's have some fun!"

"Yeah!"

Karina's POV

I saw Gunner and Toll go running for one of the tanks.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

I only heard them laughing.

"Bozhevilʹnyy." (**Crazy.**)

I got the Spaniard and we left together. Soldiers were coming through the windows. I slid forward and kicked two of them back through.

"This is the happiest moment of my life!"

This man was very unusual. Our biggest problem was still the tank. I peered around the corner but I couldn't see Gunner or Toll. The chopper came up and I saw Barney in the window.

"Barney!"

I heard firing, but it wasn't the chopper. Another one had come flying in from out of nowhere.

"_I told ya, you're gonna give yourself a stroke._" Said a voice.

"_Drummer?"_

_ "You got a tank problem pal."_

_ "Do something about it!"_

"Watch which tank you hit. Two of our guys were talking about commandeering one. Gunner, we have back up." I said.

They flew off and I lost sight of the Spaniard.

"_Drummer's in the house!_"

I heard motors and looked over. They were sending in bikes. I took out a knife and threw one into the front biker. He crashed and took the two behind him along with him.

"Oh, yeah." I said.

I saw Smiley take one of the bikes. Another chopper arrived and started to chase ours. Tanks were once more becoming a problem. I started running again and jumped outside through a window. A new guy arrived, and he had something of mine.

"You have something that belongs to me." I said.

He smirked and took out Gunner's knife.

"I'll even you out." He said.

I smirked.

"I'm about to get your knife back, love."

"_Kick his ass!_" Gunner told me.

He came forward and I held up my arm to block him. He swung at me and narrowly missed. I elbowed him in the chest, but it didn't do much. He hit me and I staggered back.

"You want your knife back?"

He waved it in a teasing manner.

"Maybe."

He ran forward and I bent backwards. I stuck a knife in his leg and he roared in pain. I turned quickly and kicked him in the head. I took the knife and slashed him across the chest. I turned and shoved another one through his eye.

"Goodbye."

I threw him back.

Gunner's POV

The kid stole a bike and was under heavy fire. I saw a guy come out of a tank and Toll shot him. We threw him out and I shot the last one inside. I'd never driven a tank before. We got in and it was pretty easy.

"Let's drive this thing!" Toll said.

I moved forward and drove over a truck for the fun of hit.

"HA-HA!"

"This one's for Cesar assholes!"

Toll fired and blew up another tank.

"Yeah!"

"Damn, that's cool!"

"_Gunner! I need some help over here!"_

"Where are ya baby?"

"_West side! Three tanks!"_

"We're coming!"

Karina's POV

Another tank came into view and fired at one of the three. It blew up and started a chain reaction. I smiled and nodded.

"Beautiful!"

"_Everyone to the roof!_"

"_Got it!" _

_ "On my way!" _

Gunner and Toll poked his head out of the tank.

"Let's go Danko!"

I ran up and rode on top if the tank.

"Hey they got valet parking here?" Toll asked.

Gunner blew a hole in the wall.

"Yeah there's some right here!"

I laughed and we all got out.

"Have fun?"

"Hell yeah! Let's go."

We ran back inside and fought our way up the stairs. We met up with the others but were trapped at the doors. The soldiers had us outnumbered outside. Gunner put his arm around me. Suddenly, I heard a very familiar gun.

"That's Cesar's gun!" I said.

We looked around the corner.

"Good morning."

It was Trench.

"Let's get to the chopper!"

"Go baby!"

Gunner pushed me forward and we all ran out. I saw an old friend.

"Yang!"

"Hey, Danko!"

I saw Thorn pop out of a hatch and join us.

"Who the hell are you?"

I looked over my shoulder.

"I'm the guy that just saved your ass."

He started shouting in Spanish and I shook my head. We climbed in and I saw an older man at the controls.

"Battery's at two percent!" Thorn said.

Where was Barney. I gave Gunner a worried look.

"Where is he?"

Trench and Yang jumped in, but Barney still wasn't there.


	23. Chapter 23

**Mel Gibson is a shit human being. That's just my opinion. **

* * *

Chapter 23

Barney's POV

I was on my way up.

"_Hey, Barney! Leaving so soon? Come on pal, let's finish it."_

I got shot and fell down off a ledge. Stonebanks jumped down after me.

"Come on, stand up. You'll feel better."

I stood up and glared at him.

"Lose the armor. And don't even think about going for that piece of garbage in the back. I want you to feel this."

"_Barney we gotta go!"_

I ran at him. I wanted to make him feel pain. He shot one of my men and he tortured another. He was gonna pay. I punched him in the face and then several times in the stomach. He kicked me but I kept getting up. I could hear everyone telling me that we needed to go, but I wasn't leaving. Not until I was sure he was dead this time. To hell with the Hage! I finally hit him so hard he fell. I dove for my gun and he for his, I turned and shot him. He fell to his knees and I stood up. I slowly walked over to him as he looked at me.

"What about the Hage? Huh?"

I shot him and killed him.

"I AM the Hage." I said.

"_Bettery's gone!"_

Everything started to blow up.

Karina's POV

The building was starting to explode.

"Gotta go!"

"NO! WAIT!" Lee said.

"Can't wait!"

Drummer started to take off and I tried to go back.

"K no!"

Gunner grabbed me and held me back. Then, Barney came out the door.

"COME ON BARNEY!" I screamed.

We were all calling for him to run faster. I tossed down a rope. He jumped but with all the dust and debris, we couldn't tell if he'd made it or not. My heart was pounding I my chest. If Barney died…

"Look!"

The rope swung back and there he was! We were all laughing and cheering.

"Pull me up!"

"You gonna fire us again, Barney!?" Toll asked.

"Come on!"

"Can't hear ya pal!" Lee said.

"I'll kill you!"

We all laughed at him and Trench lit a cigar.

"Alright I'm sorry! Pull me up!"

"Don't pull him up." Toll said.

We started laughing but we pulled him up.

Gunner's POV

Drummer flew us back to the plane. When we got off the chopper, I hugged Karina like someone would take her from me.

"I'm here." She told me.

I leaned back and looked into her eyes. She held up the knife with a smile.

"I won."

I laughed and so did Yang. She hugged him and he pat her back. When I got her back, I looked at her arm.

"It doesn't hurt anymore." She told me.

"Hey Barney!"

"What?"

'Did you kill him?"

"Oh yeah. Beat the shit out of him and shot him six times. I got him for ya big guy."

I nodded and we got on the plane. She introduced herself to Galgo and he looked at me.

"Wow."

I smirked and pulled her back to me.

"Yeah. I always thought so."

She smiled at me and I cleared my throat.

"Listen, K… I was wondering if… you know maybe you'd consider uh… marrying me."

The whole plane went silent and her eyes went wide. She smiled.

"Yes."

My turn to smile.

"Yes!"

I picked her up and kissed her hard.

"Told ya!"

"Yeah, he called it."

"Hey, he asked her without waiting for three years!" Christmas said.

"Thank god!" I heard Barney say.

I set her down and she looked into my eyes.

"I love you."

"Love you back." I said.

She laughed and pressed her forehead against my chest.

"I told you they'd come for us."

"Yeah, she did. Three times." The girl said.

"Sorry we gave you kids a hard time." Doc said.

Everyone made nice and I sat down with Karina.

"I never should'a let you go alone."

"We're still good. So, I'll have scar, I don't care."

"Yeah, you're always beautiful to me." I told her.

That earned me a kiss. I closed my eyes and kissed her gently.

"Wow."

She leaned and back and looked at Galgo. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. She looked at me again.

"How was Cesar?"

"He's awake. He's gonna be fine."

The biggest look of relief came to her face. She hugged me tightly.

"I told ya, he's a tough guy."

"Yeah."

I looked into her green eyes and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"No more solo jobs. We stay together."

She nodded.

"Always."

She kissed me and then laid her head against my shoulder.

"Hey, Danko?"

She looked at the one named Smiley.

"You're a tough chick."

She chuckled.

"And you're a good man. It'll be good to work with you."

He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Thanks for lookin' after us."

She nodded and then closed her eyes. She laid her hand on my chest and took a deep breath.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Karina's POV

The first thing I did when we got home was go and see Cesar. He smiled at me.

"I just need to say, you're an idiot."

"Yeah, I thought you'd say that."

I laughed with him.

"But thank you for saving my life."

"Hey girl, you'd do the same for me."

"And I got the bastard who shot you. He was an Expendable. I gave him free tattoo removal."

"Yeah, that sounds like something you'd do."

I smiled and hit his shoulder.

"Don't do that again."

He chuckled and looked at my hand.

"He finally asked huh? 'Bout time."

I looked at the ring Gunner gave me.

"Yeah. Thanks again, Cesar. See you tonight at the bar."

"See ya."

I left and Gunner was waiting for me outside. We smiled at each other and he took me in his arms.

We all met up at the bar that night. We sat the bar and took shots.

"To Cesar!" Barney said.

"CESAR!"

"Yay!"

We took our shots and then slammed the glasses down. Gunner put his arm around my waist and I looked at him.

"How's your arm?"

I looked at it.

"Feels like it never happened."

"Good."

He kissed my lips.

"Wanna make a little room."

I smiled.

"Tool."

I hugged him and he pat my back.

"I heard somewhere that this moron finally asked ya to marry him."

"Who're you callin' a moron?"

I laughed with Tool and saw Doc and Lee. I walked over as they threw their knives. They both hit the middle, but Doc's fell.

"Ooh."

"Best two out of three."

"Gentlemen."

They jumped away as I threw my knife. Lee smiled and nodded.

"Well, looks like ya got someone else to beat there, Doc."

"Looks like it."

I walked up and took my knife.

"I'm just glad you'll have the chance to try." Lee said.

I smiled and hugged him.

"I'm always good."

"Yeah, ya still scared us."

"I promise, it won't happen again."

He laughed a bit and Doc winked.

Gunner's POV

When I stood up, I saw Yang with Trench.

"Hey Yang! Looks like you might have had a growth spurt!"

"Tall people don't live long!"

I just laughed and Karina came and found me. I smiled and sat down with her on my lap. Doc, Christmas, Cesar and Toll sat down with us.

"We all started this together. That's how we're gonna leave it." Cesar said.

"Yes."

We all drank and Cesar looked at me.

"Take care of my girl now!"

"Your girl?"

"She's all our girl. You're just the only one who gets to call her wife." Toll said.

"I'm okay with that." I said.

We drank again and Tool sat down.

"So, how'd those new kids work out?"

"They did well. I respect them." Karina said.

"If she respects them, that means they're good." Christmas said.

_Old man living my life, I'm a lot like you!_

We looked over, the kids were doing karaoke.

"You two plannen' to have some brats?"

"Nope.' We said.

"That was fast."

"Well, neither of us plan to quite the job."

"I'll drink to that!" Tools aid.

I laughed and Karina ran her fingers through my hair.

"And you," I looked at her. "Coming in on what you might say, a white horse?"

"More like a jeep." I said.

She laughed.

"Remind me to thank you for it later."

I arched my brow.

"Oh yeah?"

"Get a room." Toll said.

I smirked.

"You want to get a room?" she asked me.

I looked at her again. There was a playful little twinkle in her eyes. I leaned back in the chair and rubbed her back.

"Maybe."

"Hmm."

"If you guys are gonna go, go. We don't need to hear this." Toll said.

She chuckled and got up.

"I have to make a phone call."

She ran her hand across my shoulders and gave me a long kiss. It didn't take me long to figure it out. I cleared my throat and followed her after two minutes. I walked outside and she whistled. I saw her standing by the bikes. I walked over to her and she smiled.

"We leavin' early?" I asked.

"No."

I was a little confused. I followed her down an alley and up a ladder. I grabbed her and she laughed.

"Look."

She pointed towards the city.

Karina's POV

"What am I lookin' at?"

I smiled and he looked at me.

"The city?"

I shook my head. He smirked and picked me up.

"What then?"

"The future. It's what lies ahead."

He chuckled and I laughed.

"I'm a little more interested in right now. The next twenty minutes."

I slowly smiled.

"Twenty minutes?"

"Want me to go faster?"

"Well, we are missing a party. And my phone calls don't always last twenty minutes."

"Mine do." He told me.

I smiled and kissed his lips.

"Mmm."

He leaned back and looked around. I backed me up against a chimney and kissed me again.

Barney's POV

I didn't fail to notice the absence of my sniper and my knife girl.

"Where's Danko and Gunner?"

"Went to make a phone call."

I shivered.

"Right, phone call."

They all smirked.

"So, you guys still want this kind of job?"

"Thought you said you weren't gonna try and fire us again." Christmas said.

"I'm not. I'm just making sure."

"We're not going anywhere." He said.

They all nodded.

"Fine. Don't say I didn't try to stop ya."

They just laughed at me. Gunner and Danko walked back in.

"Guess we'll just have to start calling her Jensen."

"Yeah."

'Big guy might get mad if we don't."

Gunner sat down and pulled Danko down onto his lap.

"How'd that phone call go?" I asked.

"Fine."

"Yeah? Must have been static. Ya messed up your hair Gunner."

'Nah I came here like that."

I shook my head.

"So, we're gonna start calling you Jensen. You okay with that, Danko?"

She smiled.

"I'm okay with this."

"Good. Congratulations then."

We drank to them and Danko looked at me.

"Barney, you have a moment?"

"Sure."

I walked outside with her.

"How's that arm doin'?"

"Just fine."

"Good. Gotta admit, you really had me goin'."

She raised her perfectly shaped brows.

"I had you going?"

"Okay, okay."

She laughed

"I did make a phone call."

"A legit phone call?"

She nodded.

"I just wanted to thank you."

"For what? For Stonebanks?"

She nodded.

"We've been through hell together, Jensen. You'd do the same for me."

"Of course. But that's not all I want to thank you for."

"Then what?"

"If you hadn't hired me in the first place, I never would've met Gunner. I never would've made such good friends. I'd probably still be stuck in Kyiv. Alone with no real plans for life. So, thank you Barney."

Danko always had a way to make someone smile. Even if you didn't want to.

"You don't ever have to thank me for that Karina. I know a lot of things would be different in my life if you weren't in it. Gunner probably would've killed me or I would've killed him."

She laughed and shook her head.

"I just wanted you to know."

I nodded.

"I do."

"Hey Barney! Galgo's drunk! It's hysterical!" Marlito called.

"Whaddya think? Wanna go see what's going on?" I asked.

"You know it."

We walked back in and there he was. Galgo was dancing around with his beer bottle. She started laughing and Gunner came to get her.

"Hey, Gunner."

He looked at me.

"You take care a her."

He smiled at her.

"Always."

She kissed him and I smirked.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Karina's POV

Gunner and I went home late. We walked in and I smiled at him.

'What?"

I shook my head. I walked into his arms and took a deep breath.

"I love you." He told me.

"I love you back." I said.

He lifted my face and then bent down to kiss me. I smiled into the kiss and wrapped my arms around him. I knotted my fingers in his blond hair and he held me tightly against his hard body. I leaned back and smiled at him. I took his hands in mine and walked with him into our bedroom. He fell back onto the bed and I slowly unlaced the front of my shirt. He sat up and watched as I stripped. He stopped me and pulled me down onto his lap. I smiled at him before kissing him. He slid his tongue into my mouth making me moan. I started pulling his shirt up, moving my hands over his abdomen. He moaned softly as I moved my hands further up his chest. He leaned back and lifted his arms so I could take his shirt off. He unhooked my bra and tossed it to the side. He took my breasts in his hands and rubbed my nipples with his thumbs.

"Gunner!"

He kissed down the valley between my breasts and then flipped me onto my back. I laughed a little and he smiled at me. I unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. He kicked them off before kissing me again. His hard cock was pressing into my stomach. I moaned into his mouth and curled my tongue around his. His warm hand moved down the side of my body. His touch was gentle and loving. I needed him closer to me.

"Hold me tighter."

He wrapped his arm around me, his strong arm holding my body to his. I kissed his neck, making him moan. I nipped gently and licked over the bite. He growled and turned me onto my back, pinning me to the mattress. I arched my brow with a smile. He slowly smiled at me and kissed me gently. I arched my back and rubbed my breasts against his chest. He moaned and lowered his hips to mine. Just feeling how hard he was made me moan.

Gunner's POV

I needed her bad, but I wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself. I took one of her large breasts in my hand and squeezed. She moaned loudly and arched her back, pushing herself into my hand. I kissed her lips again, she sucked on my tongue for a second before curling her own tongue around mine. Sometimes I couldn't believe I could love someone as much as I loved Karina. But I did. I leaned backs I could look into her eyes.

"Have I ever told you I love those eyes of yours?"

She smiled at me and touched my cheek. She kissed my lips and then I felt her hand on me. I moaned as she moved her hand along my shaft. She hooked her leg around mine and flipped me onto my back. I chuckled and she put her hands on my chest. She started moving her hips and I groaned.

"Shit!"

Her pants were still on and that to me was a problem. I unbuttoned her jean shorts and started pulling them down. She got off the bed and took them off along with her panties. I smiled as she came back to me. She wet and ready but I needed this to last. I moved my hand down between her legs and ran my finger along her.

"Gunner!"

I kissed her to keep her quite as I slid my finger inside her. She moaned into my mouth and I added another finger. I moaned at how tight she was and started moving my fingers. She kissed down my jaw to my neck and she nipped lightly. I took my fingers away and looked into her eyes as I licked them clean. Her eyes were dark and once again flipped me onto my back. She stared into my eyes as she lowered herself down on me.

"Karina…"

She put her hands flat on my chest as she moved her hips. I grabbed her hips and looked into her eyes as I bucked my hips. She made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a moan. I wanted to hear it again so I gave another little thrust. Her nails scrapped my chest and I sat up. I continued to thrust up and she held onto my shoulders. She smashed her lips to mine and her tongue wrestled with mine. I was so close! I put her on her back and started to pound into her.

"Gunner! Oh my god, Gunner!"

Hearing her say my name with such desire made me moan. She dug her nails into my back and screamed my name as she came around my cock. She looked into my eyes and that finished me.

"Karina!"

I buried my face in her neck as I filled her with my seed.

Karina's POV

I loved this feeling, I'd never get tired of it. The feeling of him coming inside me was incredible. I put my hand on his cheek and he looked into my eyes. He fell onto his back, his chest heaving. I managed to turn onto my side. I ran my fingers through his damp hair and smiled at him.

"You're incredible." I said breathlessly.

"Yeah? You too."

I placed a light kiss on his chest.

"Come here."

He put his arms around me and I curled about against him.

"I love you, baby."

I smiled and closed my eyes.

"I love you back." I whispered.

He kissed my neck and then my shoulder. I closed my eyes and the last thing I heard was his whisper,

"I love you."

I smiled as I fell asleep.


End file.
